Soy allergy

Overview
Soy allergy is a type of food allergy. "Soy allergy" (U.S.) or Soya allergy (UK) is one of the most common food allergies. It is a hypersensitivity to dietary substances from soy causing an overreaction of the immune system which may lead to severe physical symptoms for millions of people. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates soy is among the nine most common food allergens for pediatric and adult food allergy patients. It is usually treated with an exclusion diet and vigilant avoidance of foods that may be contaminated with soy ingredients. The most severe food allergy reaction is called anaphylaxis and is a medical emergency requiring immediate attention and treatment with Epinephrine.

Those allergic to soy protein should always read food ingredient labels carefully and avoid any foods containing soybean, including the substances listed below. Caution should be exercised when dining at Asian restaurants or when using Asian sauces, which may contain soy.

Reactions and Treatment
Some people who are allergic to soy protein may have an extreme allergic reaction and go into anaphylactic shock (anaphylaxis). In cases of anaphylaxis, emergency medical personnel typically administer epinephrine (available as an autoinjector, such as EpiPen) and an antihistamine such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine). In event of an allergic reaction, the victim should see a physician or immediately go to the emergency room, as anaphylaxis can be fatal if not treated immediately.

Soy allergy can also manifest itself as urticaria, rash, redness (inflammation due to immune system response) and severe itching of the skin. These symptoms can happen immediately, but may also manifest a day (or even days) after consuming soy protein.

Food sources of soy protein
Many fast-food restaurants commonly use soy protein in hamburger buns (soy flour) hamburger meat (soy protein) and hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) in sauces. On their respective web sites, McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's list soy flour as an ingredient in their hamburger buns. U.S. Nutrition Information Multi-grain breads, doughnuts, doughnut mix and pancake mix commonly contain soy flour.

Some products [for reasons having to do with national regulation of soy products] don't list soy protein or soy flour on their ingredients labels, yet they still contain soy. There are still many latent issues resolving how soy should be regulated.

Studies show that most individuals who are allergic to soy protein may be able to safely consume soybean oil (not cold pressed, expeller pressed, or extruded oil) and soy lecithin, as these products do not normally contain soy protein.

Product containing soy protein include:


 * edamame
 * miso
 * natto
 * shoyu sauce
 * soy (soy albumin, soy fiber, soy flour, soy grits, soy milk, soy nuts, soy sprouts)
 * soya
 * soybean (curd, granules)
 * soybean butter
 * soy protein (concentrate, isolate)
 * soy sauce, tamari
 * tempeh
 * textured vegetable protein (TVP)
 * tofu

The following food additives may contain soy protein:


 * hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
 * flavoring (including natural and artificial)
 * canned chicken broth
 * vegetable broth, gum, and starch
 * bouillon cubes (beef, chicken, vegetable, etc.)

Strict Versus Loose Soy Avoidance
Many soy-allergic individuals are sensitive to soy protein. As a result, some may be able to tolerate consumption of soy oil, which contains little soy protein. Additionally, many commercially sold foods include small amounts of soy lecithin, an emulsifier. Individuals with mild soy allergies may be able to tolerate foods with soy lecithin (for example when soy lecithin is among the last on a long list of ingredients). For individuals who are able to tolerate these small amounts of soy, allowing soy oil and lecithin creates a much less restrictive diet.