You’ll never know that you consumed gelatin, because this colorless and tasteless powder is widely used in food and beauty products. According to experts, gelatin is derived from dry bones, skin and tissues.
Though it has nutritional properties to improve your skin, heart and bones, few among you may experience gelatin allergy symptoms when consumed.
Immune system reacts to proteins housed in gelatin, to combat them it releases IgE antibodies, and after detecting allergens it signals immune system to release histamines. Chemical reaction between histamine and food substance results in various allergic symptoms.
Gelatin Allergy Symptoms
In some cases allergic reaction may trigger when you touch or inhale the food allergen. Below listed are common symptoms of gelatin allergy.
- Hives or skin rashes are one of the common sign of allergy. You may experience small red bumps on the skin within few hours of eating gelatin incorporated products.
- Runny nose is another symptom. Vaccines also include gelatin, person who is hypersensitive to gelatin will experience runny nose after vaccination.
- Low blood pressure, lightheadedness and dizziness can be experienced after ingesting gelatin. It may take only few minutes or hours in some cases to show these symptoms. There are few cases where hypersensitive people experienced allergic symptoms even by inhaling and touching the allergen.
Repeated consumption of gelatin may lead to anaphylaxis condition. Swelling of face, throat, difficulty in breathing and swallowing and fainting are serious situation which need immediate doctor’s attention.
Diagnosis
Allergy symptoms stimulated by food substances are identical. So it’s difficult for a common person to determine the right allergen. Mistakenly you might avoid the wrong product and face health issues.
Allergist will conduct a skin prick test to determine the presence of IgE antibody. In the process, your skin is exposed to different food substances. When the allergen is confirmed, you must avoid eating it.
Instead discuss with your physician about alternate food substance that you can prefer. Because it’s not easy to avoid gelatin, as almost all food products available in the market include gelatin, including vaccines and cosmetic creams.
Natural moisturizers and lotions can reduce the irritation. For severe symptoms you need to consult allergist.
List of Foods with Gelatin
Please check the ingredient’s list before avoiding it.
- Breads
- Beer wine
- Candy
- Caesar dressing
- Jell-O
- Omega-3 products
- Store brought peanuts
- Potato chips with flowered cheese
- Refined sugar
- Vanilla flavored foods
- Pizza hut and McDonalds
- Ice creams
- Yogurts
- Marsh mellows
To avoid gelatin allergy you must avoid food substances that incorporate it.