Maize
•(E) Egg
•(Mi) Milk (including cow’s milk, goat’s milk, cheese and yoghurt)
•(L) Lactose (milk sugar)
•(So) Soya
•(C+P) Colourants and preservatives
Yeast and moulds
In my previous book, yeast and moulds were indicated in the “free of” list. This space is now filled with “lactose-free”. It is, however, important to realise that it is impossible to totally avoid the intake of yeast and moulds due to the presence of their spores in the air and our immediate living space, for example from the rotting plant material and compost in our gardens.
Sources of yeast and moulds include:
•Bakers’ yeast, brewers’ yeast, compressed yeast, active dry yeast and instant yeast.
•Fermented beverages, for example beer, natural fermented wine and apple vinegar, as well as malt.
•Alcoholic beverages stored in barrels, for example wine, beer, sherry and port.
•Fungi, for example, mushrooms.
•Sprouting food, for example bean and seed sprouts.
•Mould-containing food, for example, cheese, especially Camembert, Brie and blue cheese.
•Smoked or salted food, for example, ham, biltong, bokkoms, and smoked fish such as haddock and snoek.
•When the word “leavening” appears on a food label, yeast may be present as the leavening agent, unless the manufacturer stipulates that the product is “yeast free”.
•Moulds on vegetables and fruit, as well as the mildew on grapes.
•Dried fruit.
•Nuts, especially peanuts, often contain moulds.
•Sugar stimulates the development and growth of yeast and moulds.
Colourants and preservatives
There is often good reason for the presence of colourants and preservatives in processed foods. Without preservatives, for instance, it would be difficult to deliver acceptably fresh and mould-free food to the consumer. When choosing food and the type of food preparation, it is in general easier to follow the rule of picking the “simplest and least processed”, although this is not always practical and realistic. By consciously choosing processed food and snacks less often, the intake of colourants and preservatives can be reduced drastically.
Colourants and preservatives which more often result in allergic reactions and to which I paid attention in this book, include:
•Colourants: tartrazine (E102); amaranth red (E123).
•Preservatives: sodium nitrate (E251); sodium nitrite (E250); potassium nitrate (E252); benzoic acid (E210); sodium benzoate (E211); sulphur dioxide (E220).
•Flavourants: caramel (E150); MSG – monosodium glutamate (E621).
Food labelling
Food labelling remains an endless process. The composition of products can change from time to time, therefore you need to update yourself regarding any changes on the labels of products that you use often. Also, read food labels for hidden ingredients to which you may be allergic or sensitive.
The table below will help you when reading labels for ingredients to which you are allergic or sensitive.
| Food item/ additive | Present when label indicates | Foods to avoid | May be hidden in |
| Wheat | Wheat flour, gluten flour, hydrolysed vegetable flour, vegetable protein derived from wheat, whole wheat, wheat starch, wheat protein, edible starch, wheatgerm, wheat bran, flour, starch, thickener, wheatgerm oil, durum flour, semolinaProducts containing these ingredients should be avoided if you are allergic or intolerant to wheat | •Digestive bran•Breakfast cereals containing wheat•Cake flour, bread flour•Bread, bread rolls•Cakes, biscuits•Rusks, biscuits•Instant cake and pudding mixes•Pasta•Couscous•Soup powder•Instant pudding powder•Commercial soups and sauces | •Artificial cream•Processed cold meats such as polonies, Vienna-type sausages, tinned meat•Sausages, meat patties•Pies•Sauces•Packets of soup powder which are used in food preparation•Pâté•Processed cheese |
| Gluten | As for wheatBarley, rye, oatsProducts containing these ingredients should be avoided if you are allergic or intolerant to gluten | •As for wheat•Rye, rye-flour products•Barley, barley flour•Oats, oat bran | •As for wheat |
| Maize/corn | Maize, corn, corn oil, corn syrup, cornflour, cornstarch, vegetable oil, vegetable fat, maltodextrin, xanthan gumProducts containing these ingredients should be avoided if you are allergic or intolerant to maize/corn | •Maize-flour products, for example, mealie meal, mealie rice and samp•Sweetcorn, whole-kernel corn, popcorn, cornflour, custard powder, corn flake cereals, corn flake crumbs | •Thickened sauces•Custard•Instant puddings•Artificial sweeteners in powder form•Icing sugar•Castor sugar |
| Eggs | Egg, egg white, egg yolk, albumin, egg lecithin, vitelline, ovo-vitelline, livetin, globulin, ovomucoid, ovomucin, egg lysozymeProducts containing these ingredients should be avoided if you are allergic or intolerant to egg, egg yolk and egg white | •Egg dishes•Cakes, tarts, biscuits, rusks, muffins, scones•Puddings containing egg•Sauces with egg•Sweets with egg white, for example, marshmallows, nougat, meringue•Real mayonnaise | •Batter mixes•Cakes, biscuits, breads•Salads with salad dressing•Lemon curd•Mousses•Ice cream, sorbet•Pâté•Salad dressings |
| Milk | Milk of animal origin, milk powder, cream, butter, margarine, buttermilk, yoghurt, cheese, milk solids, whey, curds, lactoglobulin, casein, caseinate, lactate, lactic acid, whey syrup, lactoseProducts containing these ingredients should be avoided if you are allergic or intolerant to milk and milk products | •Milk•Buttermilk, sour milk, yoghurt•Evaporated milk, condensed milk•Maas, cream cheese•Hard cheeses•Milk puddings, custard•Ice cream, sorbet•White sauce•Soufflés, mousses•Butter with milk solids | •Batter mixes•Cakes, biscuits, tarts, breads•Processed meat•Soup powder•Instant breakfast cereal•Instant mashed potatoes•Coffee and tea creamers |
| Lactose(milk sugar) | Milk of animal origin, milk powder, cream, buttermilk, yoghurt, milk solids, whey, curds, lactoglobulin, lactate, lactic acid, whey syrup, lactoseProducts containing these ingredients should be avoided if you are allergic or intolerant to lactose (milk sugar) | •Milk unless lactose-free•Buttermilk, sour milk, yoghurt•Evaporated milk, condensed milk•Maas, cream cheese•Milk puddings, custard•Ice cream, sorbet•White sauce•Soufflés, mousses•Butter with milk solids | •Batter mixes•Cakes, biscuits, tarts, breads•Processed meats•Soup powder•Instant breakfast cereals•Instant mashed potatoes |
| Soya | Soya flavouring, soya flour, soya beans, soya milk, soya sauce, soya lecithin, soya sprouts, soya bean curd, tofu, soya-based margarines, dehydrated or hydrolysed vegetable proteinProducts containing these ingredients should be avoided if you are allergic or intolerant to soya | •Soya milk•Soya-milk products, for example, ice cream, sorbet, soya yoghurt, tofu•Processed meat, sausages, Vienna-type sausages•Soya mince, soya chunks, soya beans•Soya sauce•Dark chocolate | •Batter mixes•Cakes, biscuits, breads•Chinese food•Teriyaki sauce•Bacon, ham•Pâté•Processed meats, sausages, Vienna-type sausages•Vegetarian food•Milkshakes |
How to understand and use the recipes
