The allergic people want to know what there is in beer

Photo le journal de Québec, Simon Clark
Catherine Chartrand, allergic to fish and kiwi is believed to have suffered an anaphylactic shock because of the beer.

Marie-Eve Dumont

Sunday, 30 July, 2017 20:45

UPDATE
Sunday, 30 July, 2017 20:45

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Many Quebecers are unaware of the ingredients and allergens that are in the beer they drink, this is why people with allergies claim that they are indicated on the label.

This request comes at a time when Ottawa wants to change the rules surrounding the content of this alcoholic drink.

“The beer, it’s like any other food product, we need to know what’s in there, and not just for people with allergies. We all have the right to know what we eat and drink, ” says Marie-Josée Bettez, president of Outsmart allergies and a mother of a young man who has multiple allergies.

The inspection Agency’s (CFIA) food is currently revising the standards of composition, that is to say what that should contain the product to be called a beer, in order that they better reflect what is currently on the market in the era of the proliferation of microbreweries.

People who are allergic would like to see the organization take this opportunity to oblige the brewers to list ingredients on their labels or, at least, if there is one or more of the 10 priority allergens, eggs, milk, mustard, peanuts, seafood, sesame, soy, sulphites, tree nuts, and wheat. It is this last measure that calls for food Allergies Canada.

Exempt from the law

“The offer of beers is more and more big, the ingredients vary greatly and all sorts of flavours are now available, not to mention that the beer can be found in a dish,” says Annie Boisvert, mother of a 6 years old child who suffers from 15 allergies.

Allergens can also be used in the manufacturing process of the beer.

This is that beer, unlike other alcoholic beverages, such as wine — is exempted from the regulations on the labelling of allergens. This requires since 2012, the alcohol beverage companies to register on the package, the priority allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites in an ingredient list or using the statement “Contains” on the label if there is 10 parts per million and more.

At-risk young adults

The fact of not knowing what is in the beer makes them all the more at-risk teenagers or young adults allergic who are less wary and are brought to live new experiences, says Catherine Chartrand, who has two allergic children, and that is itself struggling with allergies to fish and kiwi.

The woman, 39-year-old is even said to have suffered an anaphylactic shock while eating a dish prepared with beer in a restaurant.

“I will never know if it is really that or some other contamination that has caused me the allergic reaction, but let’s say that, since that time, I refrain. I don’t want to relive it, ” she said.

Even if the CFIA does not review as such the labelling standards of the beer, the fact of revising its “recipe” can have an impact on the allergens they may contain.

This situation is taken into account, has been certified by the spokesperson of the organization.

The Association des microbrasseries du Québec and the des brasseurs du Québec did not respond to our interview requests.

Beer Canada had no one available to answer on Sunday.

That may contain the beer ?

• Milk
• Nuts
• Peanuts
• Fruit
• Gelatin
• Eggs
• Fish
• Wheat

These ingredients may have been added as such or in the form of aromas. They can also be found in the manufacturing process of the beer.

For example, the “isinglass” which can be used to clarify the beer is made on the basis of products of fish.

Also, up here, it does not seem to be any study that has shown that anaphylactic shock was caused by the use of agents of clarification.

Sources : food Allergy Canada, Elizabeth Goldenberg, an expert in allergy on her blog and the magazine Gluten Free & More.