Talking Allergies

I once picked up a half dozen donuts at one of the smaller donut chains (the particular store is no longer in business) and when I got home, I ate one of the fancy ones with icing and sprinkles. Within a few moments I became sick and threw up. I had eaten these same donuts many times without any reaction and had no idea what might have caused it. I'm allergic to eggs and nuts and was certain none of either were in the donuts..

The next time I was at the shop, I discovered what had likely happened. Each rack of donuts contained two different varieties, two rows of each type side by side. The type I'd eaten was in the right side of the rack and in the left were donuts covered in crushed peanuts. A small piece of crushed peanut probably fell onto the donut I'd eaten.

I mentioned to them what happened and this was very dangerous (especially since the donuts in the middle two rows actually made contact with each other) but nothing was done about it. The next time I was there, the peanut covered donuts were still right beside my favourites.

Arcon;

Sorry about to hear about that.

I must say it is awful that some people in the food industry sometimes do not get.

Kelly

I would never eat anything that is outside like that in a little shop. The risk is too high.

If it's not safe, I don't eat it. That's my motto.

In those sorts of situations, there is a high risk of cross contamination. Are you sure that they didn't change the recipe on you? I'm allergic to egg as well and it seems like 99% of donuts have egg in them.

Can I add that many donut shops also alternate which one is next to the other during the day... and the ones next to each other in the front sotre might not be the ones next to each other in the back store... It may be that I worked in that kind of environment that I understand those kind of things, but if I was you, I wouldn't eat in donut shops... (not to be mean, but to be safe!)

When you eat out with severe allergies, you have to think like they do and not like you would like them to. They produce and sell food, that's what they do. What is safe for one person might kill the next one, so you can't generalized the fact that donuts with peanuts shouldn't be close to your favorite one... the fact that they sell tuna sandwich is what could kill me, I love peanuts. (just another side to a story)

Mylène

I've noticed the packaged donuts at many of the supermarkets have eggs or egg yolks listed amongst the ingredients so I avoid them. I don't know about now, but I knew a girl who was a baker at a Tim Horton's chain about twenty years ago and she told me at the time they had eggs in only two of their donuts -I think one had "orange" in the name and I forget the other. I've had no problems eating their cake or bread donuts in twenty-five years. Small donut shops, however, I avoid because I don't know what's in them.

Tim Hortons and other large donut shop chains have a book that you can ask to see to know about ingredients... but still have to be carefull about cross-contamination.

I heard Krispy Kreme doesn't make any donuts with peanuts/nuts in them and that the creator of Krispy Kreme donuts has a child who is allergic so he is aware. But this is just something that someone mentioned to me and I haven't been able to verify if it is true. Does anyone have any feedback on Krispy Kreme?

storm, I eat Krispy Kreme, and I have allergies to peanuts and sesame seeds.

They do not have any peanuts/nuts in their donuts. They do not claim to be *peanut free* because they do not (to my knowledge) verify safety with their suppliers.

I have called them myeslf to verify there were no peanuts/nuts.

I have never heard of the owner having a family member with a food allergy.

Some Walmarts are now carrying KK donuts. When I contacted Krispy Kreme, they advised purchasing fresh as they can't guarantee not contact with peanuts outside they store. (Although, they don't actually guarantee in their store either. )

I really have to send dh to pick up a box for me. They closed down all the stores near me.

Oh my! I haven't had a Krispy Kreme since my little man was diagnosed 3 yrs ago! I just figured the ones at the store/factory with the caramel looking sprinkles were nuts! So I keep telling the other kids in the family we just can't have them because of the nuts, they understand and don't ask anymore....woohoo, guess this means a trip to krispy kreme this weekend....I forget that trying to keep my house nut free the sacrifices my other kids need to make, but they willingly do so. They will be so excited!


Oh and I checked their website - you can get a list of ingredients of all the different kinds of donuts they offer...www.krispykreme.com - look under a nutritional link under FAQ's.

OK there's a few pounds of fat, and sugar, but it will be such a treat for my boys - all 4 of them!

There are actually two donuts that look like they have nutty toppings. One I just don't like - the other I eat. The texture is similar to nuts (from what I remember ) but definitely NOT nuts.

If you look and don't feel comfortable - ask someone that works in that Krispy Kreme. They are getting accustomed to the questions and I've found everyone there can answer me regarding peanuts, sesame seeds and soy. (They are NOT safe for soy allergy.)

Speaking of Tim Hortons. Soon after I found out I was anaphylactic to seafood I dropped into TH for coffee and doughnut. Figured what seafood could be in those? I decided to ask the staff if there was any seafood of any sort served and the young girl said no. Mind you I should have known the answer as I was a long time patron. But...I wanted that coffee and doughnut so...bad my mind was overruling my common sense. I did not push the question further, just explained that any seafood would send me into anaphylactic shock. She still said no seafood. Great, put my order in and while she was filling the coffee another staff member "ran" over and asked me to repeat my question. She said "NO" you cannot eat here because of cross-contamination. What??? The lunch for the day was SEAFOOD CHOWDER. Oh my God I thought. Just a drip on her finger or the coffee pot handle etc...that could have been it. The young girl who first answered my question also learned something that day.

Needless so say, since that day I go to no coffee shops and restaurants.

Did frequent Swiss Chalet. No seafood on the menu anywhere but at the bar - clamato juice (has clam juice). Wouldn't you know it, when our dinner arrived the waitress did not know which table the order was for as placed them on the bar counter while she checked. As luck would have it, the bartender was mixing up a drink and poured the clamato juice right in front of these two plates. Then proceeded to wipe of the jar in front of these two plates. I prayed these were not our dinners. They were. I would not let the waitress put the plates on our table. Explained what happened and that just a splash, drip etc. would make me react. They recooked our entire meal for us. We would have left but it was the only seafoodless restaurant and I had not been out in a long time. Now I cannot even go there as they now have on the menu "shrimp salad" and the occasional lobster.

Although restaurant food is usually not all it is cracked up to be, it would be so nice to just go out and have it prepared for you. I have forgotten how nice it is to just eat without checking every little ingredient.

Wow--what are the chances of that happening? It is really hard to avoid cross-contamination.

Susie, that's a scarry story. I hear you. I had too many close calls myself and like you, if I had not been paying attention, it could have been it. That's why I don't eat out anymore.

Lisa, what you wrote is exactly what my sister does when I'm coming over

The thing with the Clamato should also be watched carefully in bars and all restaurants as the bars have a "multi liquid thing" (sorry, it's the best I can do for a name ) that they use to pour things from water to softdrinks to even clamato. It's a devise with many buttons but it all comes out of the same opening. So even if you order a soft drink, there is a high chance of cross contamination with seafood if the place you are going to uses that kind of device. When I drink something at restaurants and bars I order a sealed bottle as I can't afford cross-contamination... even for plain water! I've seen many places use that thing to fill the water pitchers!

Also, for those chicken places, be warned that most of the sauces for dipping the chicken in (and actually most sauces ) contain Worcestershire sauce (oh, just of a few drops of course), which means fish!

Well that's my paranoia for the day

Mylène