Allergy diet - egg free
This document is part of the ACI Diet Specifications for Adult Inpatients. It is not to be used for patient education.
Aim
To provide a diet that excludes eggs or egg products.
Characteristics
No eggs or egg-derived ingredients, or traces of egg.
Indications
Allergy to eggs or egg products.
Nutritional adequacy
Nutritionally adequate.
Precautions
It is not possible to provide a full list of all permitted commercial products; the following are general guidelines only. Care should be taken to read all product ingredient lists to look for ingredients derived from eggs, eg albumin, globulin, ovomucoid, egg mayonnaise and egg lecithin. All packaged food with egg ingredients must carry a mandatory warning statement under Standard 1.2.3 of the Food Standards Code; these ingredients should therefore be identified on food labels. Particular care is needed in food handling and preparation to avoid cross-contamination.
Paediatrics
Suitable for use in paediatrics when combined with an age-appropriate diet.
Specific menu planning guidelines
| Allowed | Not allowed | |
|---|---|---|
| Hot main dishes | All plain cooked meat, poultry and fish | Quiches, omelettes, frittatas, crepes, crumbed meat or fish, fish cakes, ravioli, meatloaf or rissoles bound with egg Dishes made with wine (which may contain traces of egg) |
| Sauces, gravies | Others – check label | Tartare, Hollandaise, Béarnaise |
| Starchy vegetables / pasta / rice | All potatoes and rice Egg-free noodles and pasta – check label | Pasta and noodles with egg Fried rice |
| Vegetables | All | - |
| Soups | Others – check label | Clear soups clarified with egg white |
| Sandwiches | All others | Egg or mayonnaise fillings |
| Salads, dressings | Others – check label | Egg or mayonnaise |
| Breads, cereals | All | - |
| Spreads | All | - |
| Hot breakfast choices | All others | Eggs (all types), pancakes, pikelets |
| Fruit | All | - |
| Yoghurt | All | - |
| Desserts | Egg-free custard, jelly and toppings Creamy rice | Meringues, pavlovas, marshmallows Cakes and pastry-based desserts, unless carefully checked Some ice-creams and sorbets – check label |
| Milk and cheese | All | - |
| Beverages | Tea, coffee, cordial, soft drinks | Egg flip |
| Biscuits | Plain biscuits – check label | Macaroons |
| Miscellaneous | - | Nutritional supplements, unless carefully checked |
References
- Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy. Food allergy – other foods (soy, wheat, egg). [accessed 25 June 2010];
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Allergy Unit. Allergy information sheets. [accessed 26 April 2010];
- American Dietetic Association. Nutrition care manual. Chicago: ADA; 2009. [accessed 17 March 2010];
- Anaphylaxis Australia. Allergen cards. 2007.
- Maher AK, editor; Iowa Dietetic Association. Simplified diet manual. 10th ed. Ames: Blackwell; 2007.