We can cut this debate short by limiting our statements to our 
exposures and the provoked symptoms.

Many of us have experienced allergy symptoms in spite of the apparent 
absence of dairy proteins in foods. We can speculate until the cows 
come home (ooh - that's a punny juxtaposition) about what's *really* 
happening.

It's up to the scientific medical community to sort out what's 
actually happening.

I'm never sure what mechanism actually provokes my symptoms. I do get 
quite frustrated with some sweeping generalizations (and shallow 
conclusions) that
    * all food allergy symptoms are provoked by proteins only
    * so-called "purified" dairy products are free of all proteins
    * therefore, you can't be reacting to the dairy in that food
I think that's what a lot of us feel. And it almost always stirs up a 
lot of angst on this list when the topic resurfaces.

Let's try to be clear about our suppositions versus proven science. 
But, more importantly,  let's not let such slips provoke rancorous debates.

Cheers,

Mark


At 12:23 PM 2/26/2008, you wrote:
>Weavre Cooper wrote:
> >>There's considerable debate out there about the most common causes of
>allergic reactions: proteins (including milk protein in this case),
>carbohydrates (including lactose), or even fats. Most allergists agree that
>proteins are the most common likely culprits ... but it's not quite certain,
>and may not be true for everyone, etc.