Dr. Steven Gendel, Jeff Hawley and Host Jen Jobrack The presence of allergens in packaged foods is the No. 1 reason for food recalls in the United States. When you depend on food labels for accurate top allergen information because of severe food allergies, that’s an unnerving reality. In this episode of the Talking Food Allergy podcast, host Jen Jobrack gets inside the recall issues and challenging loopholes with food safety expert Dr. Steven Gendel and Jeff Hawley, a grocery industry expert.  The discussion reveals that many allergen recalls arise from food sold in bakery and deli sect ..read more

For colleges, COVID-19 has upended food service practices – and that affects students with food allergies. From takeout meals to cross-contact risks and staying safely fed, host Jen Jobrack has a frank, illuminating conversation with college dietary specialists Beth Winthrop and Lindsay Haas. Then students Maya Konoff and Emma Sorrentino offer their views of the challenges and silver linings of COVID-19 times.  Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Play Stitcher Soundcloud Beth Winthrop is a registered dietitian and senior trainer for MenuTrinfo’s AllerTrain program – and a leader ..read more

In Episode 4 of Allergic Living’s series on racial disparities in food allergies, Dr. Ruchi Gupta of Northwestern University and Dr. Carla Davis of Baylor College of Medicine discuss the high rates of food allergy in the Black and Latinx communities. They explore the higher odds of multiple food allergies in these communities, but the lower chance of patients seeing an allergist or carrying epinephrine.  Dr. Gupta explains findings from her groundbreaking prevalence studies, while Dr. Davis speaks of witnessing the difference education can make. In a major Houston school district, only ..read more

In Episode 3 of Allergic Living’s series on racial disparities in food allergies, Thomas Silvera and Ondina Hawthorne-Silvera of the Elijah-Alavi Foundation explain how their young son’s death from anaphylaxis in 2017 lit a fire in them to protect allergic children at preschools across the U.S. They speak of the mission behind New York State’s Elijah’s Law and why they’re committed to expand it to other states. The Silveras are passionate about taking action for those with food allergies, and particularly concerned about the lack of allergy and asthma education at childcare centers in unders ..read more

In Episode 2 of Allergic Living’s series on racial disparities in food allergies, emotional intelligence coach Aleasa Word explores: the healthcare experience of Black food allergy parents. She begins with her own encounter with a patronizing ER doctor as her daughter suffered anaphylaxis. She notes: “If you are facing a life-threatening situation, wouldn’t you be upset if you weren’t heard? But when I get angry, I become a threat. My skin makes me a threat. Why is that acceptable?” Ms. Word offers advice for doctors to open the lines of trust with patients, and she explains how to be a bet ..read more

In the first of our series on racial disparities in food allergies, Emily Brown of Food Equality Initiative speaks on: food insecurity and shortcomings of the food bank system for those with allergies and celiac disease. She also identifies the urgent need to prioritize Black and minority patients in food allergy research, advocacy and programming. Ms. Brown says: “Above all, we want to be heard. There’s a sense of not being heard.” Emily Brown is the founder and CEO of Food Equality Initiative. The Kansas City-based nonprofit provides allergy-friendly and gluten-free foods to food-insecure ..read more

Jen Jobrack Dr. Sarah Boudreau-Romano Dr. Sarah Boudreau-Romano, allergist and allergy mom, speaks to host Jen Jobrack on: allergy diagnosis and mom guilt, and learning to let go with teens on food allergy management – “he wants the power and it’s tough to let him share that.” Other topics in this candid and heartfelt discussion include partnering with the school, and the surprise onset of Dr. Boudreau-Romano’s own food allergy. Dr. Boudreau-Romano is an allergist at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University’s school of medicine ..read more

A ..read more