People with food allergy or intolerance already have a hard time keeping away from trigger foods; now there is a new potential threat – traces of antibiotics in foods. An article published in the September issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, reported the case of a 10 year-old girl who had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic reaction) to a blueberry pie. The child had a medical history of seasonal allergies and asthma, and known severe allergies to penicillin and cow's milk. However, she didn’t have any known allergies to the ingredients in the blueberry pie. After several weeks of testing both the child and the pie, the article authors concluded that a streptomycin-contaminated blueberry was responsible for the reaction. Streptomycin is an antibiotic that’s used in people to fight infections, but it’s also used as a pesticide in fruit, to prevent the growth of bacteria, fungi, and algae. "As far as we know, this is the first report that links an allergic reaction to fruits treated with antibiotic pesticides," said allergist Anne Des Roches, MD,FRCP, who is the lead study author. "Certain European countries ban the use of antibiotics for growing foods, but the United States and Canada still allow them for agricultural purposes." This is a concern. Anaphylactic reactions can be life threatening if not treated promptly. It’s a good argument for trying to purchase as much organic food as possible. It is also important to remember that you are far less likely to develop allergies in the first place if your gut health and liver health are good. Read more