This one feels odd to me. Do you have an anaphylactic reaction to these or not? Anyone dealt with something like this? Obviously I catered to these restrictions because it's never worth gambling with a guest's health.
by Dangerous-Ordinary43
29 Comments
puppydawgblues
I’d take it to mean it’s not sensitive to the point that cross contact would set it off. As in, if someone has a gluten allergy, the trace amounts carried over using a shared fryer with glutenous breadings wouldn’t set them off.
Lavmaemor
I would refuse to serve them.
hamiltonincognito
Just a little bit. *As a treat.*
Lyre
Sorry, we can’t safely serve you. Have a good night.
burnerburner23094812
The small amounts here is really truly very small amounts. It’s not “a small piece” or anything as large as that.
Some people *are* so sensitive to allergens that even a tiny level of cross contamination is a serious risk to them. Some people are not, and it’s honestly pretty helpful to clarify — especially since in the former case it is often impossible to safely serve the guest and in the latter case it is totally possible with appropriate care taken.
beccatravels
They are saying they can’t eat the ingredients but you don’t need to clean equipment for them.
Medical-Bobcat74
23 years in restaurants have trained me for this moment.
“I’m so sorry, but we are unable to serve you tonight based on your dietary restrictions. We always err on the side of caution, and we can not ensure your dietary restrictions will be accounted for.”
JudgeHolden84
You don’t “have anaphylaxis” any more than you “have a heart attack.” It’s not a diagnosis, it’s a symptom. If you are currently experiencing anaphylaxis, you aren’t breathing.
drcockasaurus
Anyone can pork butt but nobody can pea milk
pizzaslut69420
I knew someone like this about raw but not cooked bell peppers. Cooked in our restaurant, I had to carry her out once after she got epi penned by her bf while she accidentally touched bell peppers at work (prep cook didn’t wipe the table or station cutting board)
LiberContrarion
The dose makes the poison.
Are there folks that BS because they simply don’t like an ingredient? Absolutely.
Are you reasonable to say, “Now that I know this, I can’t safely serve you.” Also, yes…but it is a bit infantilizing.
Gaiasnavel
How allergic someone is to a given ingredient is on a spectrum. So yeah, you can be just a lil bit allergic and have too much of that thing and go into anaphylaxis – which in itself presents on a spectrum of severity
17Ram
I’ve seen this exact wording before on a card. Mostly from cancer patients. It has more to do with the medication they’re on than actual allergies. But then, as usual, it’s hard to tell if it’s just a preference, or doctor ordered
electricfunghi
Saying cross contamination is ok means you don’t need to wash and cook with separate grill. People with allergies know how annoying it is for a kitchen to deal and usually the reaction in tiny amounts from cross contamination is almost nothing (a rash or mild swelling) compared to eating something with the item in it.
Arben53
This looks like primarily Oral Allergy Syndrome, in which case cross contamination is likely fine. With OAS, you’re allergic to a particular pollen, and foods with proteins very similar to that pollen can trigger an allergic reaction. It’s normal for people to be able to eat cooked versions of these foods because cooking it changes the protein structure so it no longer triggers an allergic reaction. It’s also sometimes normal to be able to eat those foods raw outside of peak allergy season with no issues.
I have OAS, and it takes a couple of bites of veggies related to my tree pollen allergy to trigger a reaction. Whereas with my actual food allergies, almost any cross contamination will trigger a reaction. The one exception is deep fried foods cross contaminated with other foods containing egg. No idea why that is fine, but I’m sure as hell not complaining about that.
olivegardenbreadstix
Ha ok I feel you. But as someone with an anaphylactic soy allergy – the soy in soy sauce is like distilled or fermented in such a way that I don’t get a reaction. Could be something similar for this person?
VictorTheCutie
Look up oral allergy syndrome. It’s really odd … I have this. I can’t have raw sugar pod peas because I have a reaction (tingly, itchy mouth, def not anaphylactic) but when cooked they’re totally fine. Happens with other stuff too. That’s the whole thing about OAS. The cross contamination thing is weird to me though. My son has anaphylactic food allergies so we exist in those communities online and I have never seen anybody say a little bit is fine. 🤔 Usually for people with anaphylaxis, cross contamination is potentially lethal!
ETA: thank you so much for taking this seriously. It’s scary to think there’s folks who don’t. It’s my biggest fear for my son.
PaintingDadly
I too am deathly allergic to peas and pretty allergic to most legumes in general( now everybody is cooking in soy oil it sucks). You’d be surprised how much it limits where and what I can eat, the trick is to go to places that it’s not really an issue.
Aggressive_Button364
Just gonna chime in because i unfortunately have food allergies like this. I can’t have raw fruit. Specific fruit if I eat raw will trigger anaphylaxis. Cooked fruit is okay. I can drink apple juice in any form but I cannot have apples RAW. I can also do small amount of cross contamination but anything else is just risking a hospital visit or a very very uncomfortable experience down to stomach pain that feels like my lining is freaking burning.
LuxTheSarcastic
What the heck is pea milk
Dragon3076
Finally. One of these cards that aren’t 3 pages long. Pluss, it’s clear with what is also okay or not.
tragic-meerkat
Anaphylaxis refers to the type of reaction, not the amount required to trigger it.
notjonahbutnoah
Ya’ll hatin but this is like the least oppressive, most chill allergen card I’ve ever seen. Not even very prohibitive.
SaveHogwarts
This is a pretty good allergy card tbh
Accomplished_Deer_
I’m not a scientist but I assume there are cases where indirect exposure (cross contamination) isn’t severely harmful. Just a scratchy throat. But direct exposure is serious.
LSFree_
I have OAS and these are pretty much my exact allergies and reactions. It’s not BS im sorry to report.
Farwaters
I have allergies like this! The answer for mine is that you can’t put it directly in the food, but you don’t have to wash your counters and knives. Sounds like this is a similar case. I can even touch most allergens. Just can’t go in my mouth.
Might be best to ask them if you get the chance, though.
johneebravado
One thing people don’t really understand is that the allergy is not always the item as a whole, but sometimes one of the chemicals/proteins/substances found within the item. When you see cards like this, sometimes the chemical change of cooking an item can negate the allergen found within an item. When it relates to fruits and vegetables it’s often more specifically classified as Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) and is typically triggered by pollen, or other proteins found in the item which are broken down in the heating or cooking process.
TheNastyKnee
There are many kinds of allergies, and food sensitivities.
Many of them are complicated, and present in different ways, can be triggered different ways.
Very few people have fake allergies. It’s not endearing, and doesn’t make people think you’re special. It irritates them and makes them roll their eyes.
So usually, if someone is being a pain in the ass about their restrictions, it’s because they will suffer if they eat the wrong thing. Maybe not anaphylaxis, but maybe they don’t want to explain their explosive diarrhea to you, and saying anaphylaxis gets you to take it seriously enough. Which you should anyway, every time. Because you don’t know anything about them.
29 Comments
I’d take it to mean it’s not sensitive to the point that cross contact would set it off. As in, if someone has a gluten allergy, the trace amounts carried over using a shared fryer with glutenous breadings wouldn’t set them off.
I would refuse to serve them.
Just a little bit. *As a treat.*
Sorry, we can’t safely serve you. Have a good night.
The small amounts here is really truly very small amounts. It’s not “a small piece” or anything as large as that.
Some people *are* so sensitive to allergens that even a tiny level of cross contamination is a serious risk to them. Some people are not, and it’s honestly pretty helpful to clarify — especially since in the former case it is often impossible to safely serve the guest and in the latter case it is totally possible with appropriate care taken.
They are saying they can’t eat the ingredients but you don’t need to clean equipment for them.
23 years in restaurants have trained me for this moment.
“I’m so sorry, but we are unable to serve you tonight based on your dietary restrictions. We always err on the side of caution, and we can not ensure your dietary restrictions will be accounted for.”
You don’t “have anaphylaxis” any more than you “have a heart attack.” It’s not a diagnosis, it’s a symptom. If you are currently experiencing anaphylaxis, you aren’t breathing.
Anyone can pork butt but nobody can pea milk
I knew someone like this about raw but not cooked bell peppers. Cooked in our restaurant, I had to carry her out once after she got epi penned by her bf while she accidentally touched bell peppers at work (prep cook didn’t wipe the table or station cutting board)
The dose makes the poison.
Are there folks that BS because they simply don’t like an ingredient? Absolutely.
Are you reasonable to say, “Now that I know this, I can’t safely serve you.” Also, yes…but it is a bit infantilizing.
How allergic someone is to a given ingredient is on a spectrum. So yeah, you can be just a lil bit allergic and have too much of that thing and go into anaphylaxis – which in itself presents on a spectrum of severity
I’ve seen this exact wording before on a card. Mostly from cancer patients. It has more to do with the medication they’re on than actual allergies. But then, as usual, it’s hard to tell if it’s just a preference, or doctor ordered
Saying cross contamination is ok means you don’t need to wash and cook with separate grill. People with allergies know how annoying it is for a kitchen to deal and usually the reaction in tiny amounts from cross contamination is almost nothing (a rash or mild swelling) compared to eating something with the item in it.
This looks like primarily Oral Allergy Syndrome, in which case cross contamination is likely fine. With OAS, you’re allergic to a particular pollen, and foods with proteins very similar to that pollen can trigger an allergic reaction. It’s normal for people to be able to eat cooked versions of these foods because cooking it changes the protein structure so it no longer triggers an allergic reaction. It’s also sometimes normal to be able to eat those foods raw outside of peak allergy season with no issues.
I have OAS, and it takes a couple of bites of veggies related to my tree pollen allergy to trigger a reaction. Whereas with my actual food allergies, almost any cross contamination will trigger a reaction. The one exception is deep fried foods cross contaminated with other foods containing egg. No idea why that is fine, but I’m sure as hell not complaining about that.
Ha ok I feel you. But as someone with an anaphylactic soy allergy – the soy in soy sauce is like distilled or fermented in such a way that I don’t get a reaction. Could be something similar for this person?
Look up oral allergy syndrome. It’s really odd … I have this. I can’t have raw sugar pod peas because I have a reaction (tingly, itchy mouth, def not anaphylactic) but when cooked they’re totally fine. Happens with other stuff too. That’s the whole thing about OAS. The cross contamination thing is weird to me though. My son has anaphylactic food allergies so we exist in those communities online and I have never seen anybody say a little bit is fine. 🤔 Usually for people with anaphylaxis, cross contamination is potentially lethal!
ETA: thank you so much for taking this seriously. It’s scary to think there’s folks who don’t. It’s my biggest fear for my son.
I too am deathly allergic to peas and pretty allergic to most legumes in general( now everybody is cooking in soy oil it sucks). You’d be surprised how much it limits where and what I can eat, the trick is to go to places that it’s not really an issue.
Just gonna chime in because i unfortunately have food allergies like this. I can’t have raw fruit. Specific fruit if I eat raw will trigger anaphylaxis. Cooked fruit is okay. I can drink apple juice in any form but I cannot have apples RAW. I can also do small amount of cross contamination but anything else is just risking a hospital visit or a very very uncomfortable experience down to stomach pain that feels like my lining is freaking burning.
What the heck is pea milk
Finally. One of these cards that aren’t 3 pages long. Pluss, it’s clear with what is also okay or not.
Anaphylaxis refers to the type of reaction, not the amount required to trigger it.
Ya’ll hatin but this is like the least oppressive, most chill allergen card I’ve ever seen. Not even very prohibitive.
This is a pretty good allergy card tbh
I’m not a scientist but I assume there are cases where indirect exposure (cross contamination) isn’t severely harmful. Just a scratchy throat. But direct exposure is serious.
I have OAS and these are pretty much my exact allergies and reactions. It’s not BS im sorry to report.
I have allergies like this! The answer for mine is that you can’t put it directly in the food, but you don’t have to wash your counters and knives. Sounds like this is a similar case. I can even touch most allergens. Just can’t go in my mouth.
Might be best to ask them if you get the chance, though.
One thing people don’t really understand is that the allergy is not always the item as a whole, but sometimes one of the chemicals/proteins/substances found within the item. When you see cards like this, sometimes the chemical change of cooking an item can negate the allergen found within an item. When it relates to fruits and vegetables it’s often more specifically classified as Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) and is typically triggered by pollen, or other proteins found in the item which are broken down in the heating or cooking process.
There are many kinds of allergies, and food sensitivities.
Many of them are complicated, and present in different ways, can be triggered different ways.
Very few people have fake allergies. It’s not endearing, and doesn’t make people think you’re special. It irritates them and makes them roll their eyes.
So usually, if someone is being a pain in the ass about their restrictions, it’s because they will suffer if they eat the wrong thing. Maybe not anaphylaxis, but maybe they don’t want to explain their explosive diarrhea to you, and saying anaphylaxis gets you to take it seriously enough. Which you should anyway, every time. Because you don’t know anything about them.