The
most important thing you need to know is that corn/corn-derived ingredients are
ubiquitous, and corn is exempt from FDA
labeling requirements. A person can
be ingestion-reactive, contact-reactive, and inhalation-reactive to corn, so
extreme caution must be exercised in navigating this devastating allergy.
The
rule of thumb is that if you don't make it from scratch, don't eat it (I
haven't eaten at a restaurant since my diagnosis in 2011). We can eat very few processed
foods or commercially-processed meat, poultry, seafood, fruit, and produce due
to government-authorized corn-derived antimicrobial chemical washes.
All
fresh foods must be organic, and then you need to soak them for 10-15 minutes
in a bath of cold filtered water (tap water may contain corn due to
corn-derived purification chemicals), Bragg's apple cider vinegar (in the U.S. white
vinegar is derived from corn), and baking soda to remove any corn due to
cross-contact which can occur through the many stages of shipping, processing,
handling, and packaging. I even put my
organic chicken through this process because the absorbent pads under the
chicken are "corny."
CRITICAL
UPDATE, JUNE 1, 2020
FDA
AND USDA CONFIRM THAT CORN-DERIVED ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMICALS APPLIED TO FRESH
FOOD PRODUCTS ARE EXEMPT FROM PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
Since
most commercially-manufactured fruit juices contain corn-derived ingredients;
e.g., corn-derived citric acid, corn-derived ascorbic acid, etc., stick to
organic one-ingredient juice (nothing from concentrate). Avoid all foods with “natural flavors” or
“enriched,” since this usually indicates the presence of corn-derived
ingredients. In addition, avoid iodized
salt; since it contains dextrose (corn sugar).
Refer to the “Corn Products and Derivatives List” (see references),
which is a great resource in identifying corn products and corn-derived
ingredients to be avoided; however, it is not all-inclusive. Refer to the "Corn:
It's Everything” article by Iowa Corn (see references) to identify other
products containing corn.
If
you are a nursing mother of a corn-allergic infant, you may need to adhere to a
corn-free diet; and since there are currently no corn-free
commercially-manufactured infant formulas, it has been recommended in our corn
allergy support groups that an alternative source of nourishment is either goat’s
and/or camel’s milk.
You
may have to have your medications, vitamins, and supplements compounded to
exclude corn, since corn-derived ingredients are often used as a common filler.
In addition, you may have to install a water purification system; since tap
water may also be contaminated with corn due to corn-derived purification
chemicals.
Reprinted with
permission by M.R., Wausau, WI:
“My
corn allergic son (F.R.) cannot tolerate ingesting any bottled water or tap
water. We had to purchase a ProPur Nomad with G2 filters. All food preparation
and cooking or any oral contact (oral hygiene) has to be used with this safe
water. I am breastfeeding him and I cannot ingest any other source of water
either. We also use a ProPur shower head filter for showering/bath due to his
open skin/sores with eczema (reaction to corn). Anytime we travel, we have to take both filters with us.”
Hospitalization
with an allergy to corn:
If
you are hospitalized, you will have to provide your own previously-prepared
corn-free foods, fluids, and medications; since hospitals are not equipped to
treat or nourish corn-allergic patients. The ONLY guaranteed corn-free product on
hospital premises is straight saline-only IV fluid.
You
should print out the following documents and keep them with you at all times in
the event of hospitalization. After
reading numerous testimonies documenting that many physicians insisted upon
administering dextrose IV fluids to corn-allergic patients in direct violation
of the contraindication warning on the package insert, it took me three years to
forward this critical information to our nation’s hospitals, and colleges of
medicine and pharmacy.
LACTATED
RINGER’S IN 5% DEXTROSE CONTRAINDICATED FOR CORN-ALLERGIC PATIENTS
BCPharmacists,
"Warning: corn-related allergens . . ."
"Probable
anaphylactic reaction to corn-derived dextrose solution."
DEXTROSE
(CORN SUGAR), CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATION 21CFR184.1857
Corn
products/derivatives to avoid if you are allergic to corn [these lists are not
all-inclusive, so extreme caution is advised]
Diane H., Corn
Allergy Advocate
Corn Allergy
Advocacy/Resources
Twitter: @CornAllergy911
Additional References/Resources:
There are many online corn allergy
support groups, and I would personally recommend the Corn Allergy Friendly
Group.
"Corn:
It's Everything," Iowa Corn
FDA CONFIRMS THAT CORN IS EXEMPT FROM FDA LABELING REQUIREMENTS
FDA CONFIRMS CORNSTARCH USED IN PACKAGING MATERIALS IS EXEMPT
FROM PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
Vinegar
"Vinegar is an aqueous solution
of acetic acid and trace chemicals that may include flavorings. .... Apple
cider vinegar is made from cider or apple must, and has a ... or sukang basi),
although it also is produced in France and the United States. .... regions,
because of its low cost, is barley malt, or in the United States, corn."
Corn Allergy: A Potentially Life-Threatening Diagnosis
SURVEY
OF ADULTS DIAGNOSED WITH AN ALLERGY TO CORN
United
States Hospitals/Health Systems Contacted Re: Protocol for Treating
Corn-Allergic Patients
Colleges
of Medicine Contacted Re: Protocol for Treating Corn-Allergic Patients
Colleges
of Pharmacy Contacted Re: Protocol for Treating Corn-Allergic Patients
Corn Allergy References, Studies, Statistics, & Petitions
(Includes my submission to The Joint Commission, Congress, FDA,
& U.S. Dept. of Health requesting emergency mandate that hospitals stock
corn-free foods, liquids, & drugs.)
