Soy allergy

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 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:

The following food additives may contain soy protein:

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.