Anyone allergic to red food dye?

[twinklelilstar]

I've never had any food allergies and I learned (the hard way!) that I think I'm allergic to red food dye.

I ate a red velvet cupcake from Starbucks on New Years Eve. Everything was fine until a welt formed on my eyelids. I felt it throbbing and getting bigger. I thought it would pass and the swelling would go down. But in a matter of minutes my whole left eye was completely shut! Of course there wasn't benadryl in the house. At this time it was too late to drive myself to the ER. A friend offered to bring me but as were on the phone I suddenly had a hard time breathing and found myself gasping for air. I immediately called 911. It's the first (and I hope last!) time I ever had to call 911 for myself. Paramedics and ER doc says I might've had a bad reaction to the dye. I guess it's possible but this was not the first time I've eaten red velvet cupcakes. In fact, I made some a couple of weeks ago for Christmas.

I contacted the Starbucks where I bought it from to ask for the ingredients of the cupcake to pinpoint the source of the allergy. They are holding the
ingredient label for me.

What a way to spend NYE and to start the year off!

Anyone else allergic to food coloring?

 

[safetymom]

Sorry to hear you had a reaction. Be aware there are a number of food dyes that people have allergies to. A common one is Yellow number 5. It is in lots of different food items.

I hope you get some answers from the ingredient label.

 

[golfgal]

Allergies build up over time. You can't be allergic to something the first time you are exposed to it. Sometimes it only takes one more exposure to have a severe reaction and sometimes it takes 20 years of exposure to have a reaction. I would find a good allergy dr and find out what in the heck you are allergic to. You will also want to get an epipen in case this happens again.

 

[LuvOrlando]

My DD had an allergy to red food coloring for a few years when she was little that was so bad even gum would give her hives. Luckily she eventually grew out of it but we avoided it for years before reintroducing her to it in very small increments.

I happen to have some kind of trouble with both red and orange, with orange way worse. For me it gives an instant migraine and I can trace the pain as soon as the offending substance hits my mouth. Over New Years I was having Pomegranate martinis and when the Smirnoff ran out they started to make home made ones, as soon as I tasted the grenadine I spit it out since it's not complicated I can avoid offending candy flavors pretty easily but every one in a while, like when I'm sitting in a dark movie theater, I end up poisoning myself with an orange skittle or gummy bear, orange soda is a nightmare and any sort of fruit drink cocktail or punch is just a no-no

You're not alone. Just get yourself to an allergist with that label so they can test out the real culprit... you might have a severe allergy to something entirely different in that cupcake.

 

[4 Ears]

Oh yes, DS15 is to red dye. Dr. thought we were overreacting with him having swollen face, hard time breathing.... UNTIL! we gave him some yellow/orange cold med and his eyes swelled up BAD in a matter of a very few minutes!! AND he was having such a hard time breating. As we live in a rural area I scooped him and took the ER, was not sure we were going to make it. Knew we had to go by the ambulance station so I could stop on way by if need be. But honestly knew I could get him to them before they would get to us.

For our son it does seem much worse in liquids. We have to be careful of drinks, meds, food (for those who LOVE red hotdogs, those even bother him); not so much if they are NOT boiled??

We are hopeful he will out grow it

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

My dd who is now 6 has been dealing with Red Dye allergies for nearly a year now.

Here's a link to my Red Dye thread that may help you out as well as your own thread:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2090655

We avoid all Red Dye. Be careful of temporary tattoos as well. They are made with food coloring. At VBS this summer they put a temporary tattoo on her cheek. She broke out in hives and got pretty sick.

Good luck. It's in everything, but it has made the whole family better eaters! And there are lots of organic substitutes.

 

[vettechick99]

Wow, that is scary! It does sound about right that you had some recently and felt fine and then the 2nd time had a big reaction. DDs first reaction to peanuts was mild enough (broke out in hives) but the second time she went into anaphylactic shock. You definitely need to see an allergist, give him/her that ingredient list, and get an epipen. Keep us updated!

 

[-Hope-]

My ds has red dye allergy. It is in so many things that we've had to become vigilant label readers. Be aware that it is used to make not just red but pink, orange and purple as well!

To the PP who said orange is a particular problem- orange is made from red 40 and yellow 5 so perhaps you are allergic to both and this is why the reaction is stronger.

 

[twinklelilstar]

I can't be too certain it was the red dye. The cupcake was the last thing I ate. After further reading, Starbucks claims no artificial dyes in their pastries. I'll be stopping by the Starbucks this afternoon to get the ingredient label to find out exactly what's in it.

 

[vettechick99]

Could it be nuts?

 

[Disney Doll]

I hope not, since I am currently drinking some sort of red fruit juice/iced tea thing.

 

[twinklelilstar]

No, I am not allergic to nuts. I hate that this happened, especially since I love to eat!

 

[mla1977]

I am allergic to them. Not to the same extent as your reaction, but I get a rash from drinking koolaid, Crystal Lite, and even iced tea made from mixes (which sucks because I love it!). I avoid any lotions and beauty products with any red in them. I've even switched to Physician's Formula organic makeup to help limit my breakouts. It sucks to have to be so careful, but it makes me feel better.

 

[meghanet]

My sister is allergic to the red dye in cough syrups and other liquid medicines. She's never had a reaction to any food products, but then again I don't know if she's had any with red food dye.

 

[Chim Chiminy]

My friend's DD is allergic to Red #40, so they avoid it like the plague.
Red dye is also used to create other colors, so you have to check labels carefully.

 

[chabs]

If it turns out that you are allergic to the dye, be careful at the denist. I had a reaction to a green dye that they used on my tooth. It was something that detected whether or not they removed all of a cavity. Anyway-I ended up having to go out of there in an ambulance. Pretty scary because dye is in everything these days!

 

[KatiJ]

My son and daughter are sensitive to food dyes - especially Red 40. They have very sensitive skin and get eczema rashes when they have it. We do everything we can to avoid it and it is TOUGH!

 

[DizBelle]

I'd like to know if the OP found red dye in the cupcake ingredients or if they found another culprit.

It's like reading to the end of a mystery novel and the last chapter is missing.

 

[Abatemom]

Yes, you may have had an allergic reaction to specifically Red Dye #40. It comes from the juice of a beatle and Starbucks used to use this coloring in many of their foods and drinks. They have since stopped the practice. Other brands of Red velvet cake may use different red dyes not know to cause allergies and that may be why you didn't have any issues eating it in the past.

My 12 yr old son this evening drank a sprite and Grenadine syrup this evening and almost immediately had an allergic reaction. Grenadine is almost all Red dye #40 and is know to cause allergic reactions. Fortunately my sons was limited to a full body rash and extreme itching. Will take that over your swollen tongue anytime.

Read your labels carefully. Watch out for the Red dye #40. Glad you are fine now.