» Allergies Nothing to Sneeze At Corn Commentary

Allergies Nothing to Sneeze At

By Cindy
Posted: January 21, 2011

I noted a recent comment on this blog about a woman named Maureen whose daughter suffers from a corn allergy. According to her, corn “is the 2nd leading allergy and growing numbers of children are being diagnosed with this allergy daily” in the United States.

Since I had never heard of it, that just didn’t seem right to me, so I decided to do some research on it. In fact, I could not find anything that backs up the claim that it is the second leading allergy in the country. According to AllergicChild.com, corn allergies are becoming more common, “yet still aren’t considered to be one of the top 8. The top 8 food allergies are: wheat, dairy, soy, peanut, tree nut, shellfish, fish and egg” which account for 90 percent of food allergies.

On another site, allergies.about.com I read that, “Unlike wheat, which is a common food allergen, there are relatively few reports of allergic reactions to corn.”

Any serious allergies are nothing to sneeze at, and there is evidence that some people do have severe corn allergies – even getting a reaction from corn-based yarn! Many of us probably know someone who has a severe allergy to one or more of the top eight, where just coming in contact with peanut dust, for example, can cause airways to close bringing them close to death. However, peanut allergies have not caused airlines to stop serving them as snacks!

I couldn’t find an estimate of the people who may be affected by corn allergies, but it is believed that six to eight percent of children under the age of three have some type of food allergy and nearly four percent of adults have food allergies. Allergies serious enough to be potentially life-threatening are just a fraction of those percentages.

It seems that Maureen’s daughter is suffering from a relatively rare, but very difficult to control allergy, not unlike people who suffer from Celiac disease and are unable to eat anything with gluten in it. Like people with any allergy, she will have to read the labels on any products she wants to consume or use. But, she can still lead a happy and productive life, despite that.

The fact that corn can be used to make a variety of products is a great thing, especially if it can replace petroleum, such as in plastics, and result in more environmentally-friendly, bio-based products. And that is also nothing to sneeze at.

73 Comments »

Von Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 7:07 pm

I deal with corn allergies all the time, and I appreciate you touching on this subject.

Corn is a growing allergen among children and adults, however it is still in its uphill battle stages as many doctors, nutritionists, and other medical professionals still consider corn a hypoallergenic food. (Don’t ask me why, but its true.) So even when presented with proof, some still dismiss the possibility. For that alone, many corn allergies never get reported, and many corn allergic persons resort to alternative medicine.

So that you’re unable to verify just how fast it’s growing does not surprise me. I’m not sure myself on the stats of a corn allergy and how fast it’s growing, and I’ve been doing corn food allergy coaching for nearly 6 years now.

What I do know is that every year there seems to be more and more demand for my services and knowledge, and more and more demand for corn-free foods.
Michelle Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 7:45 pm

Your post sounds like you are poking fingers at this poor woman who has to deal with what I deal with everyday. Its a nightmare. There is a whole blog of people with corn allergy. http://forums.delphiforums.com/AvoidingCorn Total Messages: 80440 (39 posted today) Members: 2880 (47 active today)

Corn is in everything! Here’s a list of ingredients I have to look out for every day. http://www.cornallergens.com/list/corn-allergen-list.php Meat and vegetables are impossible to buy at any grocery store. They are all sprayed with citric or lactic acid made from corn, or dusted with corn starch. The USDA and FDA has done a fine job at regulating. If there is just trace amounts of corn in any product it doesn’t have to be disclosed at all! It is really embarrassing when you visit someone and you have to always remember to bring your own toilet paper. I really hate it when I am around any one with any scents or perfumes on. The alcohol that carries the scent is made from corn. It is nearly impossible to find soaps and shampoos without corn. Vinegar, glycerin, alcohol, natural flavors, vanilla, citric acid, maltodextrin, sweeteners and diet sugars, and salt are just a few examples that are in virtually everything. We even have to pay extra to have our medicines compounded. We have to use the source ingredients without any corny fillers. Please be more compassionate. If any of us goes to the emergency room and we are given glucose we could die.
Donnie Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 8:03 pm

I have been severely allergic to corn, my whole life. And have suffered with anaphylaxis many times, after accidentally eating food that contained ‘hidden’ corn. When corn is used to make a zillion additives, and used for processing and packaging, it is never labeled to warn us that there is corn-crap in the product. Corn allergy is very common, and those of us who are allergic to corn have complained to the FDA, FAAN and other agencies, for many years. But, to no avail. We are ignored, because corn is used for so many things, and corn processing waste needs to be disposed of, so it is dumped into everything. Certainly, the food and other industries will not allow corn to be considered an allergen, because then proper labeling would be required. So, our dangerous allergy to corn is ignored by ‘the powers that be’, and our lives are put at risk. Profits are always put before the health and safety of people, and nothing will ever change.
wanda Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 8:37 pm

I have multiple food allergies and by far the one to corn is the worst! Why you ask? Just avoid corn! you say.
Yeah wouldn’t that be nice but as you point out corn is so environmentally friendly replacing so many things that it is almost impossible. I can’t even use my enhaler any more due the the “environmentally friendly” use of ethanol as the propellant now. Its illegal to use anything else the last I checked. Not to mention what trying to pump gas for my car does to me.
I could say so much more but I know it would do no good. Nothing would change. My life is so far from what it usd to be you would not even recognize it as a “happy ProductiveLife”.
niccie Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 8:44 pm

According to my allergist it is very quickly becoming more common. My 4 year old is allergic to corn among other things.

It is great that a bio based product can replace all that stuff, but my son can’t eat 90% of foods because corn is in everything. Plus it is a carb and not that great for you when you get down to it, yet it’s in almost EVERYTHING. That part sucks and we are not alone. Look on babycenter.com’s allergy forums. They even has a special one just for corn allergies. It’s more common than you think.

I think everyone can agree moderation is good for everything and there is no moderation when it comes to corn. There are just too many things with corn in it. People consume so much every day. Corn syrup, corn starch, maltodextrin, white vinegar, natural flavors, citric acid, vitamin c. and so many more When ever you see these on a food label it’s almost always corn derived. Go check out your pantry. Just look for these obvious ones. Tell me if there is anything you can still eat.
Lisa Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 8:45 pm

My son is one of the people affected by a corn allergy. Indeed it is becoming very very common despite the fact that you can not find any information on it. If it was not a common allergy, doctors would not be testing for it. Our allergist told us today that he only tests for common allergies and if we wanted something else tested he would do it. Corn is not always listed in the ingredients as it has many many forms. From packaging to calling it different names, dextrose, malto-dextrose, even some sugar is made from corn! It is not listed on the package that the sugar is made from corn, it simply says “sugar” for ingredients, leaving it up to the consumer to call the manufacturer to find out what the “sugar” is made from! I truly wish that manufacturers would list what type of sugar it is. I truly believe that the next allergen to be added to the “eight” making it the “nine” is going to be corn. It is so hard for my son find things that do not contain corn or corn bi-products, not like gluten where there are many many products to be found and labels being clearly stated that they are “gluten free”. Sure would be nice to see packaging that says “corn free”.
Stephanie Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 8:48 pm

Hi, just wanted to chime in. I’m not sure your sources are particularly authoritative. Corn allergy is so relatively new and growing so rapidly that I am not certain research has had the opportunity to catch up. I was diagnosed with corn allergy via blood test and skin test in August. I thought I was an odd freak of nature, but have since met one adult and one child also diagnosed with corn allergy in recent months. I don’t exactly run in wide circles.

Your comment “Allergies serious enough to be potentially life-threatening are just a fraction of those percentages,” is a misstatement. Any allergy at all can become life-threatening; the body can react with different severity levels at different times to the same substance. Any allergy has the potential to turn anaphylactic, and I almost had a system-wide reaction the last time I was exposed to corn.

The reason corn is not considered “top 8″ yet is because it is not yet mandated by the FDA. There have been cases of anaphylaxis to corn. A mandate will surely be forthcoming as these reactions rise. As a corn allergy sufferer, the only thing I ask is fair labeling. I simply would like to know without having to guess that I may be exposed to corn. For example, corn starch is used in the paper of a common tea brand bag. I could not figure out why my throat was swelling in reaction to this tea until I learned about the corn starch in the paper. It is a very scary feeling to not know why you are suddenly reacting to something you thought safe. I am all for using corn as an eco-friendly alternative to things that hurt the environment, but I would like to also be safe myself. I would not wish my allergies on my worst enemy. I do wish I would be able to know when corn is in my food and other products.

Thank you for your time.
Stephanie Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 9:03 pm

Forgive me, I think I left out a critical explanation. If you see the “ALLERGY WARNING: THIS PRODUCT IS PRODUCED IN A PLANT THAT ALSO PROCESSES PEANUTS” on a package, that is the mandate to which I am referring. Corn allergen sufferers do not yet have that protection. Companies do not legally have to disclose when a corn byproduct is included in or around a product, thus the gamble for those of us with corn allergy.
Jessica MacDonald Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 9:29 pm

As someone who cannot go out to eat, to a dinner party, on a road trip, or on vacation without packing my own food or eating beforehand, I must say that this is obviously written by someone who does not suffer from or offer any compassion for those who do suffer from any kind of food allergy. I am 24 years old and I suffer from a severe corn allergy. Dealing with a severe allergy is difficult enough without ignorant people telling me they have “never heard of it” and therefore it can’t be that big of a deal, as you say, “nothing to sneeze at.”

To be clear, I have no delusions about discontinuing the use of corn and corn derivatives in products and foods… There is always a dollar to be made, after all. So in your perfect world, we will continue pumping our infants and children full of artificial, corn-filled formulas and products and then scratch our heads at the increasing instances of corn allergies. Hmm…
N Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 9:39 pm

It is nice in a way that corn can produce some things, but now that it is in sooo many foods in different forms, I believe corn allergies will be among the top soon. When we get it constantly like that, our systems get overwhelmed. My son had a corn allergy and when he stopped having corn and anything with corn starch, corn syrup, maltodextrin, corn flour, etc. he finally stopped wetting the bed, and all of his psoriasis/eczema cleared up completely.
Anita Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 9:58 pm

Hi.

I felt the need to respond to your comment.

I emigrated to North America from England and fell ill six months after arriving. I have been very ill for nearly 3 years and have only just discovered, after persistently trying to get to the bottom of my illness, that I am highly allergic to corn. I was never allergic or had any food issues prior to moving here.

Having now looked in to the whole issue and discovering how corn is being genetically modified and used in America, you’ve got to be mad not to realize that it is a very bad thing, and the reason why the current generation of children are now dying before their parents (especially from consuming high levels of high fructose corn syrup).

“she will have to read the labels on any products she wants to consume or use. But, she can still lead a happy and productive life, despite that.”… If you had a corn allergy you would realize how completely mad this statement is! It is near on impossible to try and find out if corn or corn derivatives have been used in foods or in the processing and packaging. I have tried many supposedly corn free things only to have a bad reaction and find out that the packaging has been corn-taminated or another hidden derivative has been used (and not stated on the label). Basically, unless you grow it or kill it yourself you are not completely safe!

Apologies for rambling, but I think you will look back at this article in a few years time and realize that this issue was definitely something to sneeze at! By the way, sneezing isn’t even a symptom…. try vertigo; low blood pressure; gastro issues; muscle and back pain; fatigue; inner ear issues; low iron… and the list goes on!

Anita.
Ivy Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 10:20 pm

I have a corn allergy and suspect one of my children do as well. Does not feel rare to me.
Violets Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 10:33 pm

Hi there,
I’m another sufferer of the relatively rare corn “allergy”. So far the doctors one day tell me that I need to be essentially bubbled to avoid contact with corn one day; and another day tell me that the cornstarch in medication is probably not a problem. (until I’m reacting and they call me an idiot for giving up and listening to them)
The corn industry has huge sway over research and development. There are no studies because there is no money in discovering the extent of corn allergies. And it’s scary.
Part of the problem is that corn is so ingrained into our society. It is NOT listed on labels, and since it lacks top 8 certification disclosure is not required even when you call companies to ask, specifically, about corn derived ingredients. The corn refiners association is proud of the number of compounds corn can be turned into, and unfortunately…the lucky react to most if not all of them.
Awareness is essential. Full disclosure of ingredients is essential. And not just with corn, but with any potential allergen. We can’t live life in a bubble; we need to rely on food manufacturers and use cleaning supplies and purchase pre-woven fabrics (if not prefabricated clothing and textiles) Kids should be able to have toys without being afraid they are dusted in cornstarch, and should be able to use art supplies at school without fear of a rash or vomiting (regardless of how life threatening that reaction might turn, or not turn) And most of all, we should be able to ascertain the ingredients of pharmaceuticals…not to make life harder for our pharmacists but to aid us in taking charge of our health. It’s a small piece of freedom most people aren’t aware they lack…until they need it.
kc Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 10:42 pm

“Like people with any allergy, she will have to read the labels on any products she wants to consume or use. But, she can still lead a happy and productive life, despite that.”

What a ridiculous thing to say. Only someone that has never had to deal with an allergy to something as ubiquitous as corn could be so cavalier with such a loaded statement. If corn was disclosed on labels at all times, life would be much simpler for the corn allergic, but it would still not even be in the same ballpark with happy and productive. Everything is poison when you are allergic to corn. Other people with all their corny scented products, deli counters in the grocery store, gas stations (inside and out), hair salons, movie theaters, laundromats, offices, schools, even the houses of relatives can be intolerable. Try going on a date when you can’t eat at a restaurant or go to a movie. Try working in an office where microwave popcorn and hand sanitizers are every day obstacles. For that matter, try grocery shopping when they’re steaming seafood with corny seasonings or cleaning the floor and every handle of every shopping cart is wiped down with corny antibacterial wipes. Of course, you know how prevalent corn is in American life. You know that the economy of this country is irrevocably intertwined with the fate of GMO corn because this blog is all about corn propaganda. I noticed that Sudden Death Syndrome, superweeds and the ever increasing need for more chemicals to grow corn and soy crops aren’t mentioned on here.

We corn allergic may have it tough right now, but when the GMO crops fail (aren’t the stores of corn and soy at the lowest point in history right now because of crop failures?) we’ll be the only ones that know how to survive without all the corny “conveniences” upon which the rest of Americans is dependent. I have half a grassfed cow (custom butchered to avoid citric and lactic acids) and local vegetables in my freezer (specifically bought local to avoid corn waxes, gases and acid washes that are on almost all grocery store produce). What will you eat when the grocery store has no frozen dinners, breakfast cereal, canned pasta, sandwich meat, vitamin D milk or rotisserie chickens? Wouldn’t it be interesting to see you survive off the 18 items in my grocery store that are completely corn-free? (I”ll give you a hint: there’ll be no meat, dairy or wheat products at all and you better step lively in the produce section.)

Remember, no one can have it both ways. You can’t extol the virtues of having corn in every product in America in one breath and then suggest that corn allergic individuals only have to read labels for a happy life in the next breath. Who are you kidding?
Erica Kassner Said,

January 21, 2011 @ 10:48 pm

Based on the tone of your article, it is obvious that you have completed however many days of research and stand by your beliefs. The difficulty of the corn allergy, unlike other food allergies, is the unknown nature in which the allergy will manifest and the lack of discernible ability to pinpoint the culprit of the reaction. This overall ignorance toward a corn allergy has not hope of change unless:

1. A person with clout realizes they are allergic to corn and corn derivatives and gives money for research or sheds light on the allergy and the pervasiveness of corn (which you think is a good thing).
2. the corn industry doesn’t have such a large hold and investment on the American food industry.

I’m sorry. I don’t agree with the comment “The fact that corn can be used to make a variety of products is a great thing…” or the comment “…not unlike people who suffer from Celiac disease and are unable to eat anything with gluten in it. Like people with any allergy, she will have to read the labels on any products she wants to consume or use.”

The reason I do not agree with your statements are the many hidden names of corn and the fact that corn and corn derivatives do not have to be labeled on ingredients lists, like gluten, soy, eggs etc. Corn does not have to be labeled if it is used in any way to process a food, package a food, or used in medications, or IVs.

Most corn ingredients won’t be labeled as “corn.” Case in point, I gave birth to my daughter last year, I told my OBGYN and the hospital staff that I am allergic to corn. They even wrote it on my red bracelet. I had to have an emergency cesarean, up until that moment I had no worries of being poisoned at the hospital. They subsequently gave me an IV and medication (after 26 hours of labor and refusing said iv and medications) that contained corn…DEXTROSE to be exact. I lost consciousness…they had difficulty reviving me. I surmised, based on your logic, I should have stopped the medical staff to read the labels on the medications, since it’s obviously my and, in the future, Maureen’s daughter’s job to make sure we don’t die at the hospital.

I realize you “researched” your article before hitting the “Publish Now” button; however, I am certain you had NO idea how to properly research this allergy. Your statements are based on ignorance. You should try harder and be more diligent next time. Perhaps you should consult Maureen.

Again, gluten must be labeled if any ingredient contains, was derived from, or MIGHT INCLUDE gluten, i.e. wheat, oats, barley, spelt

Soy must be labeled if any ingredient contains, was derived from, or MIGHT INCLUDE soy, even a no-brainer like tofu

Eggs must be labeled if any ingredient contains, was derived from, or MIGHT INCLUDE eggs…including a package of EGGS

Shellfish must be labeled if any ingredient contains, was derived from, or MIGHT INCLUDE shellfish…including shrimp and lobster

Fish must be labeled if any ingredient contains, was derived from, or MIGHT INCLUDE fish…including halibut, tilapia, salmon, etc.

Peanuts…Treenuts…Dairy…. Do you get my point?

Corn or corn derivatives, however, require NO labeling. This is the list of corn and corn derivatives as it exists today. Unless this is stopped Maureen’s daughter will have to carry an encyclopedia with her to the grocery store:

■Acetic acid
■Alcohol
■Alpha tocopherol
■Artificial flavorings
■Artificial sweeteners
■Ascorbates
■Ascorbic acid
■Aspartame (Artificial sweetener)
■Astaxanthin
■Baking powder
■Barley malt* (generally OK, but can be contaminated)
■Bleached flour*
■Blended sugar (sugaridextrose)
■Brown sugar* (generally OK if no caramel color)
■Calcium citrate
■Calcium fumarate
■Calcium gluconate
■Calcium lactate
■Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA)
■Calcium stearate
■Calcium stearoyl lactylate
■Caramel and caramel color
■Carbonmethylcellulose sodium
■Cellulose microcrystalline
■Cellulose, methyl
■Cellulose, powdered
■Cetearyl glucoside
■Choline chloride
■Citric acid*
■Citrus cloud emulsion (CCS)
■Coco glycerides (cocoglycerides)
■Confectioners sugar
■Corn alcohol, corn gluten
■Corn extract
■Corn flour
■Corn oil, corn oil margarine
■Corn starch
■Corn sweetener, corn sugar
■Corn syrup, corn syrup solids
■Corn, popcorn, cornmeal
■Cornstarch, cornflour
■Crosscarmellose sodium
■Crystalline dextrose
■Crystalline fructose
■Cyclodextrin
■DATUM (a dough conditioner)
■Decyl glucoside
■Decyl polyglucose
■Dextrin
■Dextrose (also found in IV solutions)
■Dextrose anything (such as monohydrate or anhydrous)
■d-Gluconic acid
■Distilled white vinegar
■Drying agent
■Erythorbic acid
■Erythritol
■Ethanol
■Ethocel 20
■Ethylcellulose
■Ethylene
■Ethyl acetate
■Ethyl alcohol
■Ethyl lactate
■Ethyl maltol
■Fibersol-2
■Flavorings*
■Food starch
■Fructose*
■Fruit juice concentrate*
■Fumaric acid
■Germ/germ meal
■Gluconate
■Gluconic acid
■Glucono delta-lactone
■Gluconolactone
■Glucosamine
■Glucose*
■Glucose syrup* (also found in IV solutions)
■Glutamate
■Gluten
■Gluten feed/meal
■Glycerides
■Glycerin*
■Glycerol
■Golden syrup
■Grits
■High fructose corn syrup
■Hominy
■Honey*
■Hydrolyzed corn
■Hydrolyzed corn protein
■Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
■Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose
■Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose pthalate (HPMCP)
■Inositol
■Invert syrup or sugar
■Iodized salt
■Lactate
■Lactic acid*
■Lauryl glucoside
■Lecithin
■Linoleic acid
■Lysine
■Magnesium fumarate
■Maize
■Malic acid
■Malonic acid
■Malt syrup from corn
■Malt, malt extract
■Maltitol
■Maltodextrin
■Maltol
■Maltose
■Mannitol
■Methyl gluceth
■Methyl glucose
■Methyl glucoside
■Methylcellulose
■Microcrystaline cellulose
■Modified cellulose gum
■Modified corn starch
■Modified food starch
■Molasses* (corn syrup may be present; know your product)
■Mono and di glycerides
■Monosodium glutamate
■MSG
■Natural flavorings*
■Olestra/Olean
■Polenta
■Polydextrose
■Polylactic acid (PLA)
■Polysorbates* (e.g. Polysorbate 80)
■Polyvinyl acetate
■Potassium citrate
■Potassium fumarate
■Potassium gluconate
■Powdered sugar
■Pregelatinized starch
■Propionic acid
■Propylene glycol*
■Propylene glycol monostearate*
■Saccharin
■Salt (iodized salt)
■Semolina (unless from wheat)
■Simethicone
■Sodium carboxymethylcellulose
■Sodium citrate
■Sodium erythorbate
■Sodium fumarate
■Sodium lactate
■Sodium starch glycolate
■Sodium stearoyl fumarate
■Sorbate
■Sorbic acid
■Sorbitan
■Sorbitan monooleate
■Sorbitan tri-oleate
■Sorbitol
■Sorghum* (not all is bad; the syrup and/or grain CAN be mixed with corn)
■Splenda (Artificial sweetener)
■Starch (any kind that’s not specified)
■Stearic acid
■Stearoyls
■Sucralose (Artificial sweetener)
■Sucrose
■Sugar* (not identified as cane or beet)
■Threonine
■Tocopherol (vitamin E)
■Treacle (aka golden syrup)
■Triethyl citrate
■Unmodified starch
■Vanilla, natural flavoring
■Vanilla, pure or extract
■Vanillin
■Vegetable anything that’s not specific*
■Vinegar, distilled white
■Vinyl acetate
■Vitamin C* and Vitamin E*
■Vitamins*
■Xanthan gum
■Xylitol
■Yeast*
■Zea mays
■Zein
LMR Said,

January 22, 2011 @ 8:48 am

Um, pardon me, but yes you can be allergic to corn. Commercial corn is awful. You are very ignorant to have written this. And no the products are not environmentally friendly. You should have done your research a bit better.
I am severely intolerant of corn. So while some may not be allergic, there are many, many many of us intolerant. You can be allergic to anything, anything can be toxic to you and put your life in jeopardy!
Aragorn Said,

January 22, 2011 @ 9:16 am

I’m one of the people with corn allergies, and it’s almost impossible to avoid in America today. Approximately 75% of all packaged food items have some form of corn in them. I personally know four other people with the same allergy, so it’s not as rare as you might imagine. See the link http://www.cornallergens.com/list/corn-allergen-list.php for a list of common corn allergens (including almost all OTC and prescription medicines).
Pam Said,

January 22, 2011 @ 11:56 am

Rare? If you are aligned with the corn industry that’s certainly the party line. Allowing corn it’s proper place in the common allergen world would mean throttling back the number of products containing corn. Not exactly music to the corn industry’s ears.

“The fact that corn can be used to make a variety of products is a great thing…” Only if you profit from it. For the large number of us who are allergic to corn it means a miserable life. It means seriously contemplating moving to a different country just so we can live, take medicines, take vitamins, buy common household products, and have a better variety of food to chose from.

Be indifferent to the so-called rarity of the corn allergic. Then go read some of the posts in Delphi forums Avoiding Corn forum. Then go read the posts in Yahoo’s sulfitesnomore group. Oh, didn’t know corn is typically wet-milled in a sulfite bath before becoming one of those wonderful, great products? Fact is, corn is poisoning a huge number of us.

You and others want to profit from corn? Fine. I have no problem with that. What I have a major problem with is this attitude that corn allergies are no big deal and shouldn’t stop corn from being in just about every product out there. That’s simply callous and irresponsible.
RoosMom Said,

January 22, 2011 @ 12:51 pm

“Unlike wheat, which is a common food allergen, there are relatively few reports of allergic reactions to corn.”

My 9 year old daughter is allergic to corn; she had her *first* anaphylactic reaction to corn when she was 3. My daughter is also allergic to wheat (and many other foods). When she was 2, and first diagnosed with her wheat allergy, in spite of the fact it’s in the list of the “Top 8″, we knew very few other children who were allergic to wheat. Peanuts and dairy were the most common food allergies at our daughter’s preschool and in the children’s groups we were associated with. When my daughter first entered kindergarten, her school nurse and school staff had never had another child with a wheat allergy at school (or a corn allergy). I am mentioning wheat here because… wheat is seen a s a common allergen today – and what I’ve seen locally is that the recognition and prevalence of wheat allergies where l live exploded around the time my daughter was in 1st grade, and since then she’s had several children in her elementary school classroom with wheat allergies.

Why did I even bring that up? Because the same thing is happening with corn allergies – at least in the area I live in. When our daughter was 3 until she was around 6 years old, we didn’t know anyone else who had a corn allergy. Then we started meeting other children with corn allergies, and today there are quite a few kids with corn allergy at her school. From what I know of our local sampling, corn allergy is clearly one of the more common allergies at this point. From what I’ve read (from reputable sources), the primary reason corn isn’t identified in the “Top 8″ list of food allergens is thanks to very successful lobbying by the corn industry.

When our daughter had her first anaphylactic reaction to corn we were all stunned – we didn’t know she was allergic to corn until then. And as an allergy-mom who’d already been through the drill of removing first dairy, then soy, then wheat from my child’s diet, I thought I had seen it all when it came to experiencing how wide spread these foods can be in our diet and how a child’s choices at the grocery store shrink exponentially when they lose one of them from their diet. But that was nothing compared to losing corn – with very few exceptions, every single thing our daughter eat has to be prepared at home. She can’t buy any mixes or pre-made products. All of her medicines have to be compounded. She uses a baby toothpaste because it’s the only one we can find that is corn-free. I won’t ramble on about that, but that is a *profoundly* different way of life than what most people in the US experience. It is profoundly different even from the lives of most celiacs, because there are a wide variety of products manufactured specifically for gluten-free diets. Take a close look at those products – most of them contain corn or a corn derivative.

My daughter’s experience, as well as the lives of other children and adults with corn allergies is also very different from the experience of people with celiac in one other very significant way – eating gluten will make people with celiac ill, sometimes very ill. Eating corn for a corn-allergic person (IgE-mediated allergy) can *KILL* them within seconds. Imagine what it’s like to live in a world where the thing that can kill you is literally everywhere.

Please know I am not diminishing the seriousness or experience of people with celiac disease, but I do feel that comparing the experience of a person with food allergy to a person with celiac is no more relevant than comparing apples to oranges.
Dottie Said,

January 22, 2011 @ 2:07 pm

Yes, it is possible to live a happy and productive life with corn allergy…as it is with any allergy, if you can avoid the allergen. Unfortunately, with current practices corn is in nearly everything but not labeled so it is really impossible to avoid, unless you prepare all your own food from scratch, do not fly or stay in hotels, do not eat in restaurants, do not use (or breathe the air near people who do use) cosmetics, lotions, shampoo, deoderant, detergent, fabric softeners, coffee, tea, etc.

Your attitude of trivializing this major and increasing allergy is understandable given your affiliation with corn producers. Yet, as a human being, where is your compassion? Where is your respect for what we go through every day to avoid allergic reactions to your ubiquitous corn derived ingredients and products? Corn allergy is no longer rare.

And for those of us with corn allergy, it is certainly not trivial. We live every single day in fear of a life threatening or life altering reaction. All of our mental focus is taken up with trying to avoid being exposed to corn, which is everywhere, which for us is definitely not a good thing. It is demoralizing and sickening to read your ill informed statements about what life is like for the corn allergic–you really do not have a clue.

If this was your child, in no time you would change that happy corn-is-everywhere tune to a loud wail of frustration and outrage as you watch your child suffer and miss out on “normal” life due to corn allergy.
Tweets that mention » Allergies Nothing to Sneeze At Corn Commentary -- Topsy.com Said,

January 22, 2011 @ 3:31 pm

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Von Young, V. V said: The comments are up now at "Corn Commentary" on the corn allergy post. A good read, the comments anyway. http://ow.ly/3IrXV [...]
Joy Meyer Said,

January 22, 2011 @ 4:46 pm

http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/Reports/Food_and_Biotechnology/hhs_biotech_snapshot.pdf

Please review page 15 of this article and update your comments about how prevelent Corn allergy is, and growing.

Thank you,
Joy Meyer

http://www.fpiesmudpies.blogspot.com
Debbie Said,

January 22, 2011 @ 8:09 pm

Hi, I’ve recently developed an allergy to corn. It took me almost six weeks to manage this allergy as I had to learn by trial and error what does and does not contain corn or a corn derivative. That’s almost six weeks of symptoms being re-aggravated by things I never even thought to suspect.

While my reactions haven’t been as severe as, say, an allergic reaction to nuts…I have had head to toe hives including my eyes, swollen face, lips and throat and asthma attacks. This is not just some little, obscure, rare thing and is something to definitely be respected.

Thanks for your time,
Debbie
MLO Said,

January 22, 2011 @ 9:38 pm

I’m sorry, you are wrong. Prior to Monsanto and ADM becoming the major lobbyists they are today – pre-1970s – there was recognition of how common maize/corn allergy was. As soon as the corn lobby became the most powerful lobby in Congress, that ended. And, make no mistake, the corn lobby is the largest, most aggressive, and most powerful lobby today. No one, however, knows it.

No crop receives more federal funding.

No crop has creeped into more facets of our life WITHOUT LABELING.

No crop is as truly expensive to produce as corn.

No crop is as genetically modified as corn.

I have a severe allergy to corn. It can literally kill me. I run across new people with this allergy every day and have to explain to them that they can NEVER eat out, use processed foods, or trust any label without talking to the PRODUCTION manager who may or may not be able to give them the information about whether corn is available.

Indications that corn is an increasing allergen? The fact that the University of Michigan now has it as one of the allergies students can automatically list to get a cafeteria exemption is one. UofM is not known for its lackadaisackal science.

Even when a corn allergic person finds something “safe,” they will have to check with the producer from time to time due to the current labeling laws and food producing supply chains. It is impossible to guarantee a corn-free processed food from a major manufacturer due to the way in which they source their ingredients.

You are either very ignorant or a shill for the corn lobby.
MLO Said,

January 22, 2011 @ 9:41 pm

Oh, I forgot to mention that FAAN, after taking funding from a major corn user went from recognizing corn as a major allergen to “not an allergen.”

It is about profit over people.
Darcie Said,

January 22, 2011 @ 10:51 pm

I’ve also developed a corn allergy this year. You clearly do not know how this amazingly widespread use of corn in everything is 1) making it near impossible to eat most foods produced in the US and 2) contributing to the increase of corn as an allergen. We can’t keep overwhelming our bodies like this and expect them not to revolt. While it is a plus to the corn industry that more uses are found for this crop, it is unbalancing the ecosystem of our bodies. It contributes to the poor health of our bodies, and to that of the livestock that we raise to feed our bodies.
Your use of the phrase, “nothing to sneeze at” in the conclusion of the article just proves how you don’t take the reality of corn allergies seriously. Count me as one of the growing numbers when you rethink your position on this.
Miriam Said,

January 22, 2011 @ 11:22 pm

I am Anaphalyctic to Corn. If I inhale Corn even in small amounts I risk Anaphalyxis. Leaving my home is quite challenging.

When I go on trips I have to bring my own food, blankets, pillowcases, towels, toilet paper, and cloth rags for my period.

Do you have any idea of the horror when you use toilet paper and you end up with bleeding sores and cuts in your genital area? It took a long time to figure out that it was the toilet paper, tampons, and pads that were each causing this painful bloody problem.

I can’t pass by the outside of a movie theater or Target because of the Popcorn. Guarenteed ER trip due to Anaphalyxis once again. Notice I am not saying even entering the buildings just being close to them.

I can’t shop in grocery stores at all, because of the Popcorn and Detergent isles. I am also now Anaphalyctic to inhalling Nuts so I can’t get close to those isles as well.

The inhallant allergy developed over time. It started when I was 28, but I was ingestion and skin contact based allergic to Corn since I was a baby. I thought my allergic reactions were normal parts of life, because they were an every day problem for my entire life. I feared Corn Dogs and anything from McDonalds because they made me projectile vomit. I didn’t understand why anyone would purposely do that to themselves.

I have to have my medicines compounded and even then I usually find out the hard way (through a reaction) that the active ingredients were grown on Corn.

I won’t ever take another Vitamin (again with the projectile vomiting). Vitamins don’t have to even list their ingredients because they are completely unregulated.

I lost my career due to my inhallant reactions to Corn. No company would hire me (according to over 15 HR directors when asked directly), because their companies would be unwilling to ban Popcorn from the work place (I am a highly skilled Computer Engineer with specialized knowledge in an area where their aren’t enough workers). The last company I worked for I experienced Anaphalyctic Shock three times in one month. Each time getting dragged off in an ambulance. I was told to stop needing the rescue or I would be fired, but they wouldn’t ban Popcorn so I kept getting exposed.

Nothing like walking into your work place, your throat immediately swelling shut, and falling to the ground paralyzed unable to call for help. I still get flashbacks of that day.

I react to all adhessives as well. Whenever a company I worked at replaced the carpet, painted, or did any kind of construction I either had to work from home for at least a week or I risked another Ambulance trip to the hospital. At best at work during this, breathing was just difficult and I would just halucinate (no work was capable of being done).

Trust me, this kind of stuff looks great on your performance review!

As far as Corn allergies or intollerances being rare. I run into more people (adults and children) with severe reactions to Corn than those I run into with severe reactions to Nuts. Often they have both allergies, but Nuts are more avoidable so they aren’t mentioned until later.

I am well known as that freak with the Corn allergy so they come to me for help in learning how to avoid Corn.

Allergists barely acknowledge food allergies. None of them know how to treat it and few even bother trying. I have been to the top specialists for food allergies in multiple states and their recommendation was “just avoid it and don’t bother coming back”.

I have flown on planes and experienced Anaphalyctic Shock to Peanuts even after telling the flight attendants about the severity of the allergy (I had already been pulled that same day once before from a flight due to Anaphalyctic Shock to Nuts). They still served the Peanuts. Thankfully Popcorn is not sold on flights.
Kay Said,

January 23, 2011 @ 9:13 am

As a retired copy editor and researcher I must say to the writer of this “Nothing To Sneeze At” commentary that you need to do a better job of researching and be less arrogant in your tone. Hopefully you will read the comments here and be humbled.

If you read these comments and think that we are all a bunch of wackos, we won’t be surprised. We are called worse every day by people who just don’t get it. But believe me we are all sane, competent individuals who are dealing with an issue that has not yet reached major media status. We are people who every day have to deal with those supposedly in the know who say “just read the labels.”

You should also be thankful that you do not have to live with a corn allergy or have one of your children suffer from this allergy. It is not as easy as simply reading labels and your ignorance was all too evident in that statement alone. Read these comments and learn, please learn.

I too have an allergy to corn. I walk in the shoes of all those people who can not buy anything from a grocery store, can not go out to eat, go to a movie, pump gas, use certain brands of toilet paper, soap, shampoo, etc. etc.

You have no idea the scope of the problem and it is growing as this country continues to use corn in such an unthinkable variety of ways. Would you think there is corn in toilet paper that can cause blisters when used? How about plain old table salt, soaps, fresh produce and fresh fruit? How about whole bananas, avocados, apples? No, they are NOT corn-free either. Are they labeled as having corn, no. So it is not as easy as reading the label.

Those of us who know, realize that even labels that say “no corn” may actually cause a corn reaction because manufacturers can say they have removed the corn protein so it is no longer an allergen. To many people this is just not the case and the corn is still an allergen and is still wreaking havoc.

Please listen to us, please learn and thank your lucky stars that you don’t suffer from a corn allergy. Would it be too much to ask that you rewrite your commentary in a new light? Probably, but we’ll understand because we deal with people like you, even doctors who think like you, every day.
Cindy Said,

January 23, 2011 @ 10:38 am

Forgive me if any of you felt I was making light of any serious allergy. I was simply pointing out that it is not currently the second leading allergy. I know there are people with allergies to any type of scent – from perfume to deodorant – who have just as hard a time with avoiding something that is a part of everyone’s life. I sympathize with any one who has severe health problems that inhibit their quality of life – but I would not blame it on the corn growers. This is obviously something that is very new and it’s not really fair to blame the industry for it. Perhaps it is good that this is now being brought into a public forum where an awareness can be created. Thank you all for your comments.
wanda Said,

January 23, 2011 @ 8:41 pm

And still you don’t get it. It’s not “something” in the perfume. It’s the ethanol made from corn in the perfume.
WE GO THROUGH THIS EVERYDAY and we do know from very hard earned experience that it is the corn in these products.
Its the ethanol in the gas. its the popcorn popping in Target.and our former workplaces and its the corn in the air freshener. its the corn in the packing peanuts and cardboard and paper.

These are facts not in our heads this is not mas-hysteria. But because of people like you we sometimes feels as though it is. WE ARE MADE TO FEEL CRAZY LIKE WE ARE OVER-REACTING LIKE WE DON’T KNOW WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. We have been putting up with people like you for way to many years…….and it continues!
Christine Said,

January 23, 2011 @ 11:27 pm

Cindy, before you write so cavalierly about a life-threatening heath issue for a industry that you are promoting, please do your research. As corn has so many uses, and products that are used in packaging and processing do not need to be on the label most processed foods contain some form of corn.

Sure — I read the label and avoid corn. By buying from local organic farmers. I know where my food comes from and the people who grow it.

Please do your research, misinformation about the food allergic helps no one.
Lisa Said,

January 24, 2011 @ 12:06 am

It is a crippling allergy. I can not go to movie theaters that sell popcorn the rest of my life. That is ALL of them. My children will never see there mother there. And when they go with other people, they have to change their clothes when they return and immediately wash them. I can not go to sporting games that sell “corn ridden foods”. That is all of them too!! The smell gets me sick. That is pretty much every event. That is how I know I am in contact with a food item with hidden corn ingredients. My throat starts to get scratchy. You may not be able to find medical documentation in print on this, but it is REAL and on the rise. Most everything we use today is made from plastic and where do we get plastic from – CORN!!!
I miss out on events and going places because of the hidden corn ingredients.
I salute Erica for posting the exhausting list of hidden corn. I myself have a 4 page list (YES 4 -FOUR PAGES) I carry with me everywhere to check the list of foods. And there is hidden corn ingredients not even listed on some foods. And those ingredients change so you have to read the list of ingredients EVERY time you go to the grocery store. I can only eat red meat and boneless skinless chicken breasts from one store in my area.
Talk about a limited diet!!! The artificial food processing agents even in “natural” or “organic” foods is astonishing. Corn is natural and they do not consider the chemical it makes to be not natural or artificial!! Why is that?? It is a man made product -or should I say chemical.
I can not eat most “Natural” or “Organic” foods for that reason.
Forgive me but your ignorance is not uncommon.
Look beyond the obvious listing of “corn” to find the revealing list of “not” natural food/drink items we all consume.
I prepare all my food from scratch. I can not go out to eat.
And you say it is not the top leading 8 allergies.
Those 8 items can be managed and avoided. How can I avoid the awful smell of ruber tires when I go to the store for replacements and I get sick from waiting for my car to be completed. This item -CORN- is hidden in everything we come
in contact with. The smell of the bread and cookies baking at the grocery store gets me sick too.
The gluten free/celiac stores in my area are asking me what items to put in their stores because so many more people are coming there to ask for help and food items that are dorn free.
I have to pre-medicate myself when going out. It does not stop anything, it just manages it. Nothing can stop this allergic reaction, that is the sad truth. Once I am in contact with something, I am going to react – whether that day or a day later and I never know how severe it will be. Nothing stops it.
I instantly get a sinus infection from refluxing if I ingested some food with hidden corn – or food someone touches with corn on their hands. Like PLASTIC gloves at restuarants. And I can not predict how severe my “gut” reaction will be either. It may last an entire day or two and I am basically wiped out after. That is what you do not see in print. There is also skin reactions too. Everyone reracts differently and every reaction is different.
I pray you never experience it.
Donnie Said,

January 24, 2011 @ 7:59 pm

Cindy,

There is nothing new about corn allergy. It has always been a problem for many of us. I was given a formula that contained corn syrup when I was an infant, and became allergic to corn right away. I know many other people who developed corn allergy, the same way I did. But, while corn allergy has always been fairly common, it is now becoming much more widespread. It is likely due to the amount of corn that people are constantly exposed to, and it is overwhelming our immune systems.

Try to imagine, what infants and children are facing, for the rest of their lives. A world that is saturated with corn, that is literally dumped into everything. There is no way that we can avoid corn, in our food, medicine, non-food items, or anything else. Our lives are a nightmare, because corn is not properly labeled to give us a fighting chance to avoid eating it. And we are always exposed to fumes from corn, in foods or non-food items, that we don’t even use, ourselves.

Corn is not the real enemy, it is the people who ignore corn allergy as being a serious and common allergen. And the lack of proper labels on a substance that is used for so many things, and is not avoidable.

Show some compassion for those of us who suffer from corn allergies, because we are many, and our numbers are steadily growing. And please, do not downplay the scope and seriousness of corn allergy. You are not helping us, but you sure are hurting us. You would feel differently, if you or a family member was allergic to corn. And, don’t think that can’t happen to you, too.
MA Sawtelle Said,

January 24, 2011 @ 10:07 pm

Eleven years ago I read WHO’s booklet on allergies. It stated that if exposed to a substance long enough or in great enough quantity, allergies are very likely to develop.

A while back the corn industry posted a bragging page about the uses of corn. From a previous post listing names of substances that involve corn, anyone can see that we are a nation continuously being exposed to corn, thus subject to increased potential to develop allergy or intolerance to corn and its derivatives.

About 10 years ago a call went out requesting volunteers to come to Texas for a study on corn allergy. No one from our group went as they didn’t want to become sick or sicker from further exposure. The study was canceled due to lack of volunteers. Because of lack of volunteers, the study was canceled and the researchers concluded that corn is safe and very rate. Ah, how scientific are our scientists! We were kicking ourselves for not going there to be their sick guinea pigs.

Pronounced safe, the end results has been an increased use of corn in just about all facets of our lives. It seems that the American way is to jump on a bandwagon and ride till the horse falls ill from overuse.

A further problem is that corn is wet milled, using sulfites. No wonder rates of asthma and food allergies are increasing as messing with the sulfation pathway causes the intestinal “tube” to become porous.

Gosh, aren’t we smart! We can’t even add 2 + 2. Corn here, corn there, corn everywhere = overexposure with resulting allergies, IB, asthma, etc.
kc Said,

January 25, 2011 @ 12:52 pm

Cindy, You don’t want us to blame it on the industry?! There is no other industry in this country spending so much money to grease palms so that its product can be found in everything! The wheat growers aren’t trying to get wheat into fruit juice or feminine napkins. The fishing industry isn’t lobbying to get fish into bell peppers and toothpaste. The dairy industry isn’t trying to make carpet and plastic out of milk. The peanut growers don’t have a powerful lobby group pushing to get peanuts into baby formula or envelopes. No one is worried about the eminent inclusion of eggs in gasoline or canned vegetables.

Just who do you think is to blame if not your employers and you by extension? You don’t think your job contributes to our problems? You get paid to publish propaganda that is meant to further the uses of corn, so you are culpable, too. Don’t you stop to wonder if corn is so wonderful, why is your job even necessary? No other crops find it necessary to spin publicity (ever heard of a tomato growers association with a lobby in DC and expensive web site?). Perhaps that’s why your pitiful excuse for an apology was not so well received. Have you stopped to consider how common this allergy must be if there were 31 comments in 3 days about this article when all the other articles on this site combined have less than that?
Sina Said,

January 25, 2011 @ 6:33 pm

Well, I am from Austria living in the states at the moment, and I have a PhD in biology and I can tell you that corn allergies are on the raise. The rason why it is not well documented is that there are maybe a few who have a corn allergy, but many many people suffer from corn intolerance. Many MD still believe that Food intolerance is not really existing. My son suffer off corn intolerance – he cannot be diagnosed with blood test, skin tests etc , but I found an MD who believed me and , that after each corn consumption he got sever diarrhea – one reason why he did not gain weight as he should. Food intolerance is on the raise (celiac disease for example – also not always detectable with blood test – you need to do a biopsy to diagnose it-just to name an example).
Corn intolerance is even harder to diagnose. Statistics talk about things which can be documented. In our age where nobody has time to investigate it anylonger – we do not border to get into details – Why should anybody, when everything is just about money? the corn we use is mostly genetically modified – and we do not be sure of the risk by applying such things – and the worst – we were not even asked if we want to replace everything with Corn, nor does anybody has to label if it is genetically modified or not – Well, country of liberty, this is what everybody says from the states – so where is the liberty from the individual people – are there still people out there to listen to individual or is liberty only for giant companies with a lot of money?
Mike Said,

January 25, 2011 @ 10:29 pm

I’m highly alergic to corn and corn derived products. I just had a first ever experience tonight on a business trip where I checked in to a brand new Holiday Inn Express hotel and had to check out six hours later because of the fumes from hotel and room. All of the brand new curtains, carpet, sheets, air freshener, etc was off-gassing so bad I couldn’t stand it. Upon checking in, I developed my corn symptoms, I left the hotel and went to the office and my symptoms cleared up. Then, I went back to the hotel and the symptoms came back much stronger than before within minutes of stepping into my room. So, I checked out and moved down the street to an older hotel and I’m not having any symptoms. Cindy, this “corn thing” is real and must be taken seriously.
MA Sawtelle Said,

January 31, 2011 @ 10:24 pm

Mike commented about not being able to stay at a hotel because of the fumes. A study a while back of college students showed that 1 out of 7 of those tested were sensitive to odors. Most of them did not realize it until tested.

I too have to be careful of odors. I can not go near the detergent isle in grocery stores without reactions due to the odors from the chemicals and citric acid they all seem to contain. Citric acid is now mostly derived from corn which is wet milled using sulfites, and sulfites are documented as causing problems.

Fortunate are those not affected, yet one may wonder how many people are in fact affected unaware of symptoms, or that there may be a root cause.
MA
Kim Said,

February 2, 2011 @ 3:23 pm

“Like people with any allergy, she will have to read the labels on any products she wants to consume or use. But, she can still lead a happy and productive life, despite that.”

I’m sorry but this is an insanely ignorant comment. Any one with allergies, of any kind, knows that not being able to enjoy the simple things in life (like others mentioned like going to the movies, sporting events, even using tampons or antiperspirants) does not make you happy. I am a sufferer who didn’t develop the allergy until my 20′s (along with soy…GMO anyone?) and as someone who has been able to do any and everything, all of a sudden not being able to is extremely hard. People don’t understand, don’t take the time to understand and you have to figure out everything for yourself. If it wasn’t for the internet, I would know nothing and would probably be dead by now.

National Corn Growers-I understand the powers of corn and how important you’ve made it to our society and I agree that it can do some good, but you’re overdoing it. Just like anything done in excess, it will eventually backfire and we will have nothing but a country of sick, obese, allergic people. Do the socially responsible thing, what’s right for your children and the future of this country and stop trying to TURN us into corn.
Tanya Milligan Said,

February 6, 2011 @ 2:55 pm

I have a corn intolerance and it’s so frustrating that corn is in so many things. I don’t live in a city, so I am really limited to making my own things and I hate to cook or just eating meats, fruits and vegetables. It’s bad when I get even a little. My eyes close up like pink eye and hurt and itch. I sneeze, cough, throat hurts, etc… My joints hurt. I get a rash on my face. If I get too much its like a combination of stomach flu and food poisoning. I have lived with a milk (not just lactose) and I could deal with that, but this thing with corn is too much.
Julie Said,

April 14, 2011 @ 6:11 am

This sounds like it was written by either someone in bed with the corn industry or someone whose never had an issue with allergies.

I too have a corn sensitivity. I saw an allergist last year who informed me that there is no way to have an allergy to corn sugars as there is no protein present. I called my GP the next day to tell them the guy was a quack!

My problems are not my immagination, but they are very corny and had been for about five years – wheezing, weight gain, lethargic, sinus problems, and overall just feeling like crap. It was innocent looking Sweet Tarts made with dextrose and maltidextin that not only about dropped me like a rock at work one day, but that finally put me on the right track. After taking ALL things corny out of my diet for a week (that in itself is a project and a half), I was five pounds lighter, able to run like I hadn’t in years, and feeling a whole lot better.

Doing without corn for a week also set me on collision course with the Nightshade family – tomatoes, potatoes, peppers – they’re not off limits too and the “arthritis” that I’ve had for more than a decade is mostly cleared.

Foood allergies and sensitivities do exist beyond the realm of paid Big Pharma and Ag. Big Ag keeps creating things to make them an extra dime, but it’s all stuff we’ve never been exposed to before. We didn’t grow up with corn in every corner of our food and the package it comes up with and now that we’re all exposed, we’re all having issues. Some are classic allergy symptoms, some are much more subtle. But have no fear, Big Pharma will happily cook up some corny based medication ot hald mask your problem.

I’m now almost year into diligent avoidence and still trying to clear my system. Treating my issues with dietary enzymes, probiotics and fiber are helping, but I figure I’m still another year or two from actually being healthy again. Avoidence is a long uphill fight and seems to change at every new product.
Stefanie Worth Said,

April 22, 2011 @ 2:29 am

My daughter (now 9) has had GI troubles her entire life. From “reflux” as an infant who could only tolerate one formula after breastfeeding (and not that one very well), to a toddler with constant complaints of tummy aches to a kindergardener who spent many nights balled up in pain in her bed. It became so bad at one point that her illness affected her ability to swallow and breathe and at one point she even developed overall body weakness that made it difficult for her to walk.

For a while we were seeing a pediatric gastroenterologist, her pediatrician, a neurologist and an allergist. And she was still suffering miserably. After being diagnosed with reflux again and put on Prilosec (which gave her no relief), the allergist told us to stop the medication for 3-5 days so she could be tested. The results said she wasn’t allergic to anything. I couldn’t believe it. She was still SO sick.

Finally, I stopped the Prilosec, since it wasn’t effective. A couple of months later I came across an allergist I’d seen for my sons. He said she should have been off the Prilosec 10 days to two weeks (because it’s a histamine blocker) and proceeded to test her. She’s highly allergic; not only to pollens, grasses, trees, ragweed, dust, mold and our cat, but to sesame, peanuts and CORN as well. It is the corn that gives us the most trouble.

Since we’ve begun eliminating it from her diet, she’s gained weight for the first time in two years and the stomach complaints have ended. But it is so hard to avoid corn altogether! We’ve made several trips to ER after encountering seemingly harmless foods. Bread, ketchup, dill pickles, pasta sauce, some noodles — the list, as cited above, is exhausting.

Shopping trips can be heartbreaking. We scoured the aisles to find fruit snacks last week that were truly all fruit and absent of high fructose/corn syrup. Halloween, Easter, birthdays are sad. But even she reads labels and avoids corn like the plague because it makes her so incredibly sick.

I look forward to the day when labels say: “Allergens: wheat, milk, nuts, soy and CORN.”
Another corn avoider Said,

April 22, 2011 @ 11:07 pm

There used to be an open petition to the FDA for ingredient labeling of corn, but it looks like it has expired. I urge all of you to write letters to the FDA and your legislators.

Living with a corn allergy in America is truly awful. It’s almost enough to consider expatriating, lol. Unfortunately, usage of cheap corn sweeteners and fillers seems to be making its way into a lot of other cultures, too.
Neil Carlson Said,

April 30, 2011 @ 9:44 am

Hi folks. I have no desire to become a food activist in perpetual combat with others, but I have to express some solidarity and concern about this issue. I am 42 years old, have a Ph.D. in political science, and engage in social science research on a daily basis. After a year of sleeplessness, heart-attack-like experiences, stomach pain, anxiety and apparently unnecessary gall bladder surgery (my fault, should’ve been more cautious), I recently figured out that I had been regularly experiencing anaphylactic shock. I don’t have windpipe obstruction as do 80-90% of shock sufferers, but all the other signs are there.

My well-intentioned family doc started to think I was just suffering from an anxiety disorder and prescribed Valium. That lasted exactly five pills–I continued to have brutal attacks, I just remained very calm during them!

If you prefer empirical evidence, I’ve had two endoscopic biopsies that show eosinophilic esophagitis (a strong indicator of allergy), and I’ve completed a rigorous elimination diet going on eight weeks now. Wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, all OK. This morning, I ate my first corn in weeks, in the form of corn right off the cob with a little butter and salt. My insides are already beginning to burn, and the familiar chills and cramps are starting. Perhaps it’s not an allergy in technical terms–an intolerance or what have you, but the issue is corn.

I was confused by lingering symptoms during the elimination diet until a week ago, when I quit taking the Singulair my gastroenterologist had prescribed. It wasn’t doing me any good (the eosinophil count didn’t change between two biopsies months apart). Turns out the pills are made with microcrystalline cellulose, which is essentially wood pulp that *may* be made from cornstalks. Finally, no more burning and cramping at all.

I am going to do the best I can to make my problem a business opportunity for others and not an imposition. I’m OK living on fresh fruits and nuts most of the time (and some brands of potato chips!) and switching to home-made bread to avoid all the corn syrup and corn starch. But I’m not going to be a doormat, either. If the Corn Growers want to pick a fight instead of trying to help us cope, watch out. Some of us know how to play the game.
kt Said,

May 6, 2011 @ 1:48 pm

I face the treat of anaphylaxis any time I ingest corn or corn derivatives. Not a fun or easy way to live, as noted by the many entries above! I suggest, Cindy, that you broaden your research field. A good place to start might be to look at the sources listed at

http://cornfree.ca/articles.htm

There are about 30 articles listed right there, all discussing various aspects of corn allergy–all you have to do is look up the original papers!
Annemarie Said,

July 19, 2011 @ 2:33 pm

“Like people with any allergy, she will have to read the labels on any products she wants to consume or use.”

Plastic bottles don’t have corn on their label, and yet more and more plastics are being made from corn to the point where I can no longer buy a bottle of water if I am out and thirsty. The involuntary vomiting and horrific 3 day migraine make sure I am terrified of anything in plastic.

I have had a corn allergy all my life, getting worse by the year it seems. It’s not as easy to maintain as you make it seem. You should see what happens if someone eats popcorn near me.
Stephanie Said,

August 13, 2011 @ 2:19 pm

“But I would not blame it on the corn growers. This is obviously something that is very new and it’s not really fair to blame the industry for it. ”

If the industry wants to remove themselves from all fault–to show real integrity–they will spearhead a campaign to ID corn derivatives in everything for the benefit of those of us whose lives are so impacted from corn and corn products. I challenge the Corn Growers’ Association to voluntarily disclose ALL corn derived ingredients. THEN they will be free of blame. But a lobby that shills so the FDA won’t add corn to the other list of protected allergens is most definitely to blame.
shauna Said,

September 11, 2011 @ 3:04 pm

Corn allergies are not common the same way that SIDS is not common in Asia. If the doctors don’t think anyone has it, they don’t look for it and then wow, no one has it! Except people are experiencing it more and more.

And as someone who is both a celiac AND has issues with corn? There’s no comparison. Corn is like the demonic ninja twin of gluten, when it comes to hiding. Cornstarch polishing my rice and coffee, between my paper plates, coating my printer paper, in washes for all the meat at the supermarket? This is not something that just takes label reading; it takes hours and hours of calling, and study, to the point that many corn allergic folks could probably tell you more about food and processing of products than the FDA could, at this point.

I spend ten times more energy and effort avoiding corn than I do avoiding straight gluten. Since we’ve discovered that my children both have corn problems too, I have to cook so much from scratch now that nearly half my waking hours are in the kitchen. There is honestly no comparison.
JS Said,

October 17, 2011 @ 8:29 pm

When I first started reading this thread I felt sad for Cindy who was getting smacked across the face repetitively with a new truth. One which I assumed she was ignorant to.
I thought, “Hey, guys.. c’mon. She just isn’t aware of this.”
-and maybe that was true, but her response was weirdly defensive and seemingly canned. And that’s when I realized what website this is. HAHA!
Well, no wonder!
The fact that we are having a discussion about corn allergy on a National Corn Growers Association website is a bit ironic. And look what this article accidentally proved! There are a lot of industrious individuals out there trolling the internet for more information on their life-threatening allergy!
Brandy B. Said,

April 1, 2012 @ 11:42 pm

I love corn. My kids love corn. There’s only one problem. Corn hates my two-year-old daughter. If she has one sock off, that foot turns beet red. The source? Dog food particles, the offender, corn.

She started out highly intolerant and almost died because doctors insisted she needed more calories added to her diet to make her catch up growth, but the polycose (pure corn starch) and corn formulas made her vomit so bad she ended up with projectile vomit, failure to thrive, and almost lost her life. What’s worse, the doctors blamed me for making her sick and reported me as negligent, telling me it was impossible she was allergic to corn. We got a second opinion at another hospital and they diagnosed her with severe corn intolerance, and I was vindicated.

Two months ago she began reacting topically and suddenly she had a horrific reaction to diapers. The company claims there is no corn in the diapers, but the fragrance is strong. The fragrance must contain corn, for she had the same butt-bleeding reaction to those diapers as she did to ones lined with corn starch. Once we gave her a corn-free diaper (Walgreens brand), she healed. We can’t even wash her hands without problem. Soap at the mall, Walmart soap, even hospital soap causes instant reaction. I’m worried about fall when nearby corn fields harvest their stalks.

Your commercial that says the body cannot tell the difference between corn sugar and cane sugar; sugar is sugar, is a maddening lie. All these commenters’ bodies tell the difference every day, and we suffer for it.

We need the corn industry to accept the allergy as not only present, but serious, chronic, and life threatening, and we need the Corn Growers Association to take a lead to fight on behalf of corn allergic people. We need help, not denial or belittling.

PLEASE do a good thing for your industry and head up a petition to the FDA to recognize corn allergies and require pertinent labeling and manufacturing precautions on all products. They don’t listen to us. They will listen to you.

Please fight for us, not against us, and you will reap great respect from all factions, which stands very well to increase your bottom line. Put people first and profit will follow. Aside from profit, it is the humane thing to do.
NICOLE Said,

April 14, 2012 @ 11:07 am

Hi, for some reason my post is now missing. I am running a write in campaign on my facebook page called Corn Freedom. Please help by writing your wonderful stories or copy and pasting your information from here to help gain awareness for the corn allergy sufferers. I have medical backing right now and I will be getting the letters I currently have from wonderful members and new members and including letters from as many people as possible to help show that corn is an issue. People suffer medical malpractice everyday, children die, almost die and suffer severely. Adults have been diagnosed with many disorders and medicated inappropriately. As I have read in other letters to my site and the letters on here, some have had major surgery to remove organs that APPEAR to be malfunctioning. Never once did the medical professional look into alternative causes. Our son suffers severe neurological changes due to ingesting or inhaling corn. Please help me fight the fight to gain enough awareness to push the Government to add corn as a top allergen and change some labels. Wake up the medical community and make a safe world for our children and ourselves. Please send your notes, to Corn Freedom on Facebook. Thank you so much, everyone here is pretty annoyed at the ignorance of everyone around us, let’s take some of this energy to make a point and be heard…Again to go Corn Freedom on Facebook and send me a message telling your story. Please include your State, we have noticed that this is not just a localized issue it’s across the U.S. full fledged and it’s creeping around the World!
Tylas Raine Said,

April 14, 2012 @ 11:47 am

Corn allergies AND corn intolerance are not rare! Corn is in almost everything! It’s hard to live any kind of a normal life when you have this. I have a intolerance instead of an allergy, but still the tiniest bit – such as a corn derivative in chewing a piece of gum makes me ill and so tired I can hardly function. If I get a bit more I can’t move my neck, my joints hurt, I get a rash and itching and all sorts of things. I wish at least things would be labeled. I did not get this until a couple of years ago. I can’t imagine a child trying to live like this.
Julie B. Said,

April 14, 2012 @ 1:54 pm

Ahhh…..now that I see this is from the Nat’l Corn Growers Association all the propaganda above makes much more sense. Please do not insult the intelligence of the public. It truly only serves to further distance you from us, and to create more uncertainty over the credibility of your claims. I too have corn allergies/intolerance in our house (myself and my children). I don’t feel the need to repeat entirely what everyone above stated….but I will agree with their words 110%. Label reading for corn/corn derivatives is far more difficult than for any of our other allergies. Virtually nothing is clearly labeled as corn free/containing corn. This is a dangerous and sad state of affairs for our food industry. Nonetheless I try to look for the silver lining, and there IS one The silver lining is that with increasing speed and numbers those of us who do suffer from corn allergies/intolerances are banding together–we come together to teach each other, advocate, guide and assist. We contact doctors, pharmacies, food companies. We ask questions, we compare notes, reactions, alternatives, and ideas. We offer each other support and friendship. To tell those of us that there is no difference between corn sugar and other sugars? That makes as much sense as telling someone who suffers from celiac that all grains are the same. If you react…..it makes a BIG difference. Please do not make wide sweeping generalizations. For those of us who react to corn it creates serious misinformation. I am thankful that with the help of others I have been able (with difficulty) to eliminate corn from my diet. I’m in the best health I have been in in years. PLEASE join the ranks of other top allergens and promote honest and clear labeling on foods. Put the public and health first. Thank you.
Deanna Said,

April 14, 2012 @ 2:34 pm

I just thought I’d throw in that both our kids are allergic to corn. Doesn’t feel “rare” to me, either. And it’s tricky as all you know what to avoid, because there are no labeling laws. Maybe these articles, with their comments, will help raise awareness! Otherwise, I fear for my children’s futures.

They’re only 2 years and 7 months and it breaks my heart to hear them cry from accidental exposure to corn. This week, my two year old son came to me crying and asking to be cuddled, but asked that I not hug him because his skin hurt so bad. I want corn labeled so that I can cut down on these occurrences.
Christine Said,

April 14, 2012 @ 10:11 pm

About 6 months ago, after suffering a multitude of symptoms for years, I finally discovered I have an allergy to corn. It is unbelievably difficult to avoid corn. Actually, it’s pretty much impossible to avoid exposure to corn. It’s in just about everything.

Here are some examples of the difficulty I have in my daily life: It’s difficult, even, to find water that’s safe to drink. Most bottled water companies and many cities add corn additives to their water to make them taste better.

Almost all milk is vitamin fortified, and those vitamins are all either derived from corn, or corn is used as a carrier to get the vitamins into the milk.

Pretty much all meat in this country has corn in it. Either because the animals are fed corn, or because the meat has been processed using lactic acid washes, etc that are made from corn.

Think you can solve this problem by simply avoiding processed foods and sticking with fresh veggies, etc? Nope. Not even expensive organic produce is safe. It’s either waxed with a wax made from corn, or gassed with corn-derived gas to ripen it faster, or both.

Got an infection and need to take an antibiotic? Oops, all antibiotics are grown on corn.

Have a contact allergy? Good luck finding even toilet paper that’s not contaminated with corn. How would you feel if you had to wipe down your private parts several times a day with something you were allergic to.
H Wilson Said,

April 15, 2012 @ 10:31 pm

My daughter is 19 and has had health problems her whole life, none of which made sense or could be fixed until the root of it proved to be allergy to corn. It’s not new; it’s that until recently no one pinned it down. Recent testing has also shown that I, my husband and son all have corn allergies, as well. For years I had fibromyalgia-type pain that couldn’t be explained since tests always came back “normal.” I started making connections between pain intensity and ingesting corn-based foods (polenta was one of my worst).

My daughter had a dual diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome and Bipolar disorder, debilitating head pain that NEVER went away, and was on three medications until we made the corn allergy connection. After purging her system of corn (easier said than done, since even after cleaning the diet out you can’t avoid accidental exposure because it’s in the environment in derivative forms from air fresheners, cleaners, propellants and countless other things), she is now off all medications and is symptom-free when she is not having a reaction.

If only she COULD just read labels to eat safely! So much isn’t required to be accounted for. Never mind the derivatives, we have to worry about processing agents and packaging, as well. This allergy is NOTHING like the other ones, and I suspect we are just hitting the tip of the iceberg with how many people have the allergy and don’t even know it.

Oh, and have you ever tried to buy food while purposefully avoiding citric acid, something most people have no idea is derived from corn? Yeah. No wonder America is sick.
Kiah Said,

April 17, 2012 @ 1:04 pm

My father and I have been struggling with a corn allergy for almost 10 years. I am a 22 year old who has been working very hard towards a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering but due to all of the perfume and hand sanitizer on campus, I am no longer able to attend classes. I am unable to go grocery shopping by myself. My reaction to all corn derivatives is a neurological response. I get disoriented, I am unable to think, my muscles start shaking or get extremely tight and my eyesight become blurred. I am unable to drive my car after a reaction. At this point, I am basically home-bound because I get so sick during my reactions. I even react when I am sitting on the couch with all the windows closed the neighbors are doing their laundry down the block. My dad has had the allergy for about the same time as me but my reactions seem to be slightly more exaggerated. There are so many other parts of life that are EXTREMELY difficult because of corn reactions that most people don’t even talk about. Trying to just have annual appointments is painful. I had a pap smear last year and was extremely careful what the doctor used; no soap on her hands, no gels or creams, I verified the gloves were not powdered, etc. I had a horrible reaction. My abdominal was swollen for 3 days (not to mention the horrible pain and headache for 3 days as well) so bad that I had to wear my fiancés pants because mine would not fit. I later found out that the plastic tools that were previously safe are now made from corn. Even finding birth control is absolutely ridiculous! I can’t use pills (corn filler), I can’t use condoms (they are either coated in corn or in corn lubricant), I can’t get shots (corn based), and the list goes on and on. If the FDA would just label that corn is in products it would help both me and my father. All I want is to be able to prevent myself from getting horribly sick.
Anneka Griffith Said,

May 1, 2012 @ 1:57 am

I think he reason why we’re having such growing rate of allergies towards corn is because people can’t digest the protein that corn creates. Corn is known to have what they call jumping genes which is also something bogs have. Thus why you have so many mutations and variations in one species. It’s also the reason why you see so many disorders in dogs like epilepsy, blindness, and DEAF-ness. These jumping genes allow us to mutate the genetic information at an alarming rate. We as people do not have jumping genes and we can’t mutate as quickly as corn can. We’ve genetically modified it to a point were its proliferated the growth of cancer cells and is causing American to have diabetes, and obesity issues. It’s also why we’re probably seeing so many cancer and obesity issues with our pets because a lot of main pet food brands such as iams and pedigree are shoving corn in their food. I myself am allergic to corn and find I can’t hold plastic grocery bags because they are derived from corn, and they don’t seem to be very biodegradable. Also I volunteer for an entomology lab and not even roaches will eat the corn meal in the chicken feed we give them they will eat everything in the meal and leave the corn until they have no more food and then they consume it. Also before I knew I had corn allergies I thought it was normal to be out of it and have spouts of dizziness and lack of concentration, and I’m only a one on the allergy test for corn, and it’s commonly know that food allergy tests are not completely accurate, but the tests are getting more accurate so I truly believe many more people are allergic to corn and just don’t know it. I think corn should be scraped made into fuel and that’s it, maybe even pesticides but not shoved into our bodies in the ER (bags of dextrose), and our food and vitamins. It’s too dangerous for us to genetically modify, we’re playing with wildfire.
Janice Bale Said,

May 18, 2012 @ 8:03 pm

I am having a really hard time with my allergies this year..expecially my nut allergy and CORN allergy…My allergy is s o bad that my allergist told me that i have to use my EPI Pen at the slightest reaction to corn..I went on a date with my husband last saturday, and he took me to the movie theater. We did not eat or drink there, However I still had an allergic reaction to corn, because the people sitting in the movie theater, and after I took my EPI pen, and went to the E.R..The nurse and Doctor treated me like I was lying about my allergy…If only people knew how hard it is to figure out what to eat, try nobody believing you about your allergy…I can not work, because of my allergy, however I do not qulify for disability..
Kate Murphy Said,

July 26, 2012 @ 9:34 am

Yes agree with everyone else. In my opinion Corn should be a TOP allergen. It is so freakin hard to have a 4 year old allergic to it. Corn is in everything! It has many different names..and even if it is not on the label, the food may have been contaminated with corn. Fruits and vegetables are sprayed with corn products..try finding ANY medicine without corn!! Its impossible!! I have spent weeks calling different compounding pharms just to get my daughter some tylenol. Its absolutely heart wrenching to see my DD suffering from something she ate that I researched, made phone calls about…but to no avail..somehow it had corn in it! Its going to be a life long battle!
Cleave Said,

August 1, 2012 @ 1:19 am

Getting dizzy from just having iodized salt and brushing imaginary spiders off my arms while having hallucinations from too much corn starch is not my imagination. It is very real and it is a great problem for me and my family. One of the worst parts about it is that until just a few years ago I loved popcorn and now just the smell of it can make me dizzy.

At first I thought, no problem, just quit using corn, right….. It is in at least 90% of EVERY thing in the food isles and just today found it in my normal allergy meds that I take for dust and mold. Been taking this one brand for about 2 weeks now and now I know why I am so bloated. What is going to be real fun is that in 2 weeks I get to take a plane trip after not being on one in 30 years. The last time was when I returned from Basic Training. Back then hardly anything was stuffed and soaked in corn.

I am actually beginning to wonder if I will survive the trip. Intolerance or allergy, it doesn’t really matter when it is directly affecting you and those around you.
Rho Drummond Said,

August 1, 2012 @ 9:10 am

My husband has developed a corn allergy, too. The more and more I learn what might be out there with the (insert expletive here) in it, the more angry we all get. A small evil part of me is enjoying the thought of all those maize crops dying in the summer 2012 dust bowl, while those of us living in sugar cane country are going to reap in the benefits.
There once was a time, not so long ago when this wasn’t happening, and there was real pine pulp in paper products, and real cane or beet sugar in common candies. This was in the days of the 70s, when kids could buy ten ropes of Bubs Daddy Apple gum for 50 cents, and parents biggest concern was that it might get in their hair or on the carpet.
Bubs Daddy is gone, and so are the carefree days of non-dangerous foods. The Corn Refiners Association is going to go down when all those maize plants take the hit from the wild weather of this season, and once we get some real people in office who know what corn allergy sufferers are going through, maybe we’ll get our 1970s food supply back.
Claudette Kim Said,

August 14, 2012 @ 8:38 pm

About a year ago, my daughter who was 8 at the time, started having these really powerful anxiety attacks. She would throw fits for hours while repeating the same words over and over again, making no sense. She would sometimes wake up at 2AM do it all over again. School started and she would have so much anxiety that I couldn’t get her into the building. We saw a therapist it didnt help. The behavior was really strange in that it came and went with no obvious reason. Finally, Halloween came and she was in such a state the next day that we knew it was food related. We had her tested and a blood test showed it was a corn allergy.

Since then, we have changed her to a corn free diet, we buy only organic and have her medicines compounded . When we are corn free, there is no anxiety at all. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we still have a mix up about every 3 weeks or so. It just seems to happen.

No doctors believed us at first but the evidence has been so overwhelming, they do now.

I’m a stay at home mom and have always enjoyed cooking. I’ve put a lot of my family friendly recipes on a blog mostly to help out my husband if I’m ever called out of town. Feel free to use it:

nocornforme.wordpress.com
sarah Said,

December 10, 2012 @ 10:36 am

Hi guys i really found these explanations really helpful i could not read all comments because of my bad mood im writing because its going to baffle my mind am i allergic to corn? I appreciate any expert’s reading my comment I eat fresh corn without any problem but somme canned corn yes ! Does it make sense or not one day i ate sweet corn with chesse and after 8hrs i felt shaking and cold i went to er injecting a serum and i felt better but yesterday i ate again the same corn from that shop again then i ate a peanutt cream cake to which i have not shown severe allergic reaction after passing just 5hrs i felt severely bad bad headeache pain in all my joints and muscle severe shaking and reaching to a fever around 39 and 40 hardly controlled by acetaminephones is it corn allergy?
Giselle Dente Said,

January 27, 2013 @ 2:28 am

THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES
I have a girl that is so allergic to corn and wheat that just the smell get her sick, by now we both know the ER at Children’s Hospital by first names, matter fact they had save her life few times. She is also allergic to grass, and few more things. She is sick everyday and our life’s are miserable, the specialist recommend to live in the ocean, her IGE levels are over 1800. There is no help or support. Is great to know about others. When I tell people they look at me if like I was crazy. One more the cigarette smell kills her too and sometimes we encounter people that smell like walking ashtrays they can understand how sick she gets. So thank you all for sharing.
Kathy j Said,

February 2, 2013 @ 12:24 pm

Just wanted to point out the sheer volume of responses this article got and every single one of them seems to be from a corn allergic person, like myself. There are over 60 allergy symptoms, just because one doesn’t go into anaphylactic shock, doesn’t mean they’re not allergic. Also, for every person on here who has responded, there’s probably 20 or more who are allergic to corn who haven’t, or don’t know it yet. I had no idea. I thought my problem was wheat, so I tried to go gluten free. Going GF means upping your intake of corn, as almost all GF products contain corn in place of wheat. My symptoms got worse! I had massive migraine headaches and asthma attacks, developed edema, and the hives I dealt with occasionally became a permanent fixture. My legs were not the only body part swollen with the edema, either, my hands and eyelids puffed up so badly, I couldn’t hold anything with my fingers, and my eyes always looked half closed. It was very unpleasant. Corn is not a simple allergy to avoid, by any means. It’s an awful, horrible substance, and I’d like to see it eradicated from the planet, in all honesty.
Kathy j Said,

February 2, 2013 @ 12:27 pm

Lots of good info online for corn allergy sufferers!
Delphiforums.com has an avoiding corn forum
Facebook has a few corn allergy groups, just search fb for corn allergy
Cornallergens.com
Help and support is out there for us!
We help each other find safe products, mostly. There are a small handful of companies out there avoiding corn in their products, we can all help each other out!
Erin G Said,

March 5, 2013 @ 5:21 am

Found out as an adult that I had a corn allergy popcorn triggered it first oh how sick I got now I can’t even enjoy coke because corn syrup is everywhere. People think I’m kidding about it they say how are you allergic to corn but no one asks my sister how she’s allergic to peanuts I’m not glad there are other people with this allergy because they don’t always tell you when there is corn in food like with wheat and nuts but I’m glad there are people who don’t think I’m just kidding around
» Biotech May Be Solution to Food Allergies Corn Commentary Said,

March 13, 2013 @ 11:41 am

[...] post on this blog that has received the most comments is one about corn allergies, which – like all food allergies – can be very serious to those who suffer from them. A [...]
DJ Said,

April 5, 2013 @ 11:19 am

My husband never had any food allergies. But in the past few months he has started having hives and other allergy symptoms if he eats anything that contains canola or cottonseed oils. Since they are almost always GMOs, this is very disturbing. I have never been able to eat GMOs, but I have always had food allergies and Celiac, so I’m not surprised that I can’t tolerate adulterated GM foods. But now that my husband is reacting to them, too, I have to wonder if he will react to the other GM foods, like I do. I’m sure he will find out, probably the hard way, like I did.
Sony Cherian Said,

April 6, 2013 @ 8:08 pm

I am severely allergic to corn. Because of my corn allergy, I get schizophrenic reactions, I get angry, I get low back pain, get headache, etc. My allergy doctor told me to avoid corn completely.

Fortunately, I was able to find a very good food product.

I want to tell this to everyone who has corn and other allergies – There is a product called “Andean Dream Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies.” This product is corn free, soy free, Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Non GMO, Dairy Free, and it is vegan.
Caroline Said,

April 24, 2013 @ 5:14 pm

I think you guys are jumping on this woman a little too hard. She heard of something new, did a little research, and wrote a quick post on it. She never claimed to be an expert, and I certainly don’t see her making light of the subject. She compares it with celiac disease and peanut allergies, both serious problems, so how is that making light? Yes, she has a light tone, but that’s more of a writing style than a cavalier-ness about others’ health.

I was just diagnosed with a corn allergy. I’m lucky so far in that I’m practically asymptomatic, but I really feel for the suffering all of you are experiencing. Nonetheless, it seems like you might have built up frustrations from dealing with such a horrible issue in a world that doesn’t seem to care (and worships corn), and possibly are venting all of that pent up frustration on Cindy.

Also, it IS good that corn is a viable alternative to petroleum products. It should be labeled, and alternatives need to be available for those with allergies, but I don’t see how anyone can think the positive of something that might help the entire world survive is outweighed by the negative of a percentage of the population that needs to avoid that thing.

Anyway, I am totally on the wagon for labeling and corn-free alternatives, and I hope it happens sooner rather than later, so everyone suffering from severe corn allergies can live a better life.
Kathy Said,

May 17, 2013 @ 4:51 pm

Please write from a place of information. Just today I found out that my all natural antacid that actually says FREE OF CORN on the label has corn in it. Why? Because someone like you heard that folks can’t react to corn if the protein is removed. This is a myth — just like you thinking that all we have to do is read the labels. If you ever are unlucky enough to develop this allergy, I would like you to think about your past public foolishness — and THEN APOLOGIZE. Or why wait? You could apologize now. I would be happy to help bring you up to speed on this rapidly growing allergy. And the reason it’s not in the “big 8″ allergens list is because the corn lobby won’t let it be included.

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