Certain tasty slowly simmered dishes may not be as safe as they seem. This can be particularly problematic with ethnic cuisine. For example, a ‘fish stew’ may have broth that is flavored with shellfish, which could be catastrophic to an individual with shrimp or crab allergy. There was a tragic case in the late 1980s of a young woman with peanut allergy who went out for a graduation dinner at a chili restaurant. Soon after starting her meal she fell ill and did not recover, only for her family to find out that the chili had been flavored with peanut butter. I had a similar brush with fate: I went to one of my favorite burrito places and had enchiladas, and soon realized I was having an allergic reaction. Before going to the Emergency Room, I found out that peanut butter had been added to flavor the enchilada sauce. It is always important to ask, ask, ask whether things you may be allergic to are used as flavorings. Same when you are a guest at friends’ or with family.

See the Allergen of the Month Overview here.