Curiosity about food allergies

Nutrition Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hey Doc,

I apologize if this should be in the Medical Q and A instead.

I just learned that a very young—2 year old—cousin has an allergy to eating eggs. He also has both a contact and eating allergy to garlic, but I have a question about the eggs.

I’m mostly a total layman when it comes to nutrition science and biochemistry, but I’ve learned a lot over the past several years due to training and wanting to follow a healthy dietary pattern.

It is my understanding, possibly in error of course, that food allergies are associated with proteins—so my young relative is allergic to egg protein. However, what about the protein causes the reaction? Why is he allergic to eating eggs but not eating chicken?

Proteins are just chains of amino acids, right? Is there something about the physical structure of those proteins that cause the reaction? Are those with the allergy lacking the appropriate elements to breakdown those protein structures?

Is there a super simple explanation that I’m just missing?

2

There are 5 major egg proteins that people are allergic to, ovomucoid (Gal d 1), ovalbumin (Gal d 2), ovotransferrin (Gal d 3), lysozyme (Gal d 4), and ovomucin. The most common is ovomucoid, but these are predominantly found in the egg white. Because the chicken has fully developed from the egg, these proteins are no longer present in the egg.

3

It’s been a little while since your post, but I’d like to add some information. I understand your curiosity about food allergies.