Hi,
First time "writer", but I have been reading for a while now.  Thanks
Colleen for saying that an "allergy" to milk does not have to constitute an
asthma attack, hives or something else.  Mine is just absolute agony with
any kind of milk protein.  My doctor, allergy as well as primary, say it is
just intolerance.  In my opinion, anything that causes excrutiating pain,
fever, sweats/chills, etc. is more than just a simple intolerance.
Unfortunately, one of my kids has acquired this fun genetic twist.  I am
hoping the other three keep doing fine.

I love to read about others with similar issues.

Jim Throop
Queen Creek, Arizona

-----Original Message-----
From: Milk/Casein/Lactose-Free List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Colleen Barrett
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2007 11:06 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: milk-free chocolate chip, also varieties of allergic reaction

Beth,
Thank you for the information.  I agree with you, the food industry is very 
in tune to the word "allergy." In fact recently when I told a  waitress who 
was waiting on our family that our daughter was milk allergic she was prompt

to inform me that their meatballs contained cheese. Since I don't add cheese

to meatballs at home, I wasn't even thinking about this when we were 
ordering them at a restaurant.
Colleen


>From: Beth Kevles <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Milk/Casein/Lactose-Free List <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: milk-free chocolate chip, also varieties of allergic reaction
>Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2007 23:38:25 -0500
>
>  Hi --
>
>  First of all, I want to second the use of Trader Joe's semi-sweet 
>chocolate chips. They're parve, which means that they're milk-free and also

>made on lines that have been scoured (and blessed) if a milk-using product 
>was made on the same line.
>
>  Yes, there's a (slight) risk of cross-contamination, since milk is added 
>to OTHER products (on other lines) in POWDERED form, and it's possible for 
>milk powder to travel through the air to the milk-free line. This 
>cross-contamination possibility is true of any product made in a factory 
>where milk is added to chocolate. There are, however, some chocolate 
>manufacturers who don't ever use milk. A couple are linked from my web 
>site, and will be of use to those who are severely allergic to milk 
>protein.
>
>  Second, someone talked about "true" allergy vs. gastric reaction. The 
>word "allergy" isn't as well-defined as one might think. Some allergies 
>lead to hives, asthma attacks, anaphyaxis. Others lead to severe gastric 
>symptoms which may be confused with lactose intolerance, but are NOT 
>lactose intolerance. (And some gastric reactions occur in parts of the 
>digestive tract where lactose enzyme deficiency is a non-issue.) If the 
>effect of consuming milk protein is nasty and consistent, it doesn't really

>matter what you call it; it matters that you avoid milk protein. And if it 
>gets you safely through a restaurant meal to label your problem an 
>"allergy" (a word that is taken seriously by people in the food service 
>industry) then it's okay to call it that, no matter your true opinion of 
>the word.
>
>  My web site also contains some sample menus and lists of some safe foods 
>for those new to milk allergy, in case anyone here is still interested :-)
>
>  I hope this helps,
>  --Beth Kevles
>  Eating without Casein
>  web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html
>
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