Allergy diet - glutamate low
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 foods naturally high in free glutamate, and food additives containing glutamate.
Characteristics
Avoids the flavour enhancers 620-625 and natural glutamates such as strong cheeses (Parmesan, Camembert, Brie and Gruyere), soy sauce, oyster sauce, black bean sauce, tomato sauce, miso, yeast spread, mushrooms, plums and spinach.
Indications
Glutamate intolerance.
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 containing the following flavour enhancers: monosodium glutamate (MSG, 621) and related flavour compounds (620, 622, 623, 624, 625, 627, 631, 635, 636, 637, 640, 641), hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP), textured vegetable protein (TVP). If a product lists an ingredient as flavour, without a detailed additive description or code, the product should not be used in this diet.
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, fish, eggs and legumes | Casserole dishes made with commercial stocks and flavour enhancers, or tomato paste Dishes containing tomato, mushrooms, spinach or peas |
| Sauces, gravies | Plain white sauce | Soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, tomato sauces Cheese sauces and black bean sauce Gravies made with stock cubes |
| Starchy vegetables / pasta / rice | All potato, pasta, plain rice, noodles, couscous, quinoa, semolina | Commercial flavoured noodles and savoury rice |
| Vegetables | All others | Spinach, tomato, mushrooms or peas Pickled vegetables |
| Soups | All others - check label | Commercial condensed soups Soups with mushroom, tomato or peas |
| Sandwiches | All others | Tomatoes |
| Salads, dressings | Most salad ingredients Plain salad dressing (oil and vinegar) and mayonnaise – check labels | Tomatoes, mushrooms, parmesan cheese Commercial salad dressings |
| Breads, cereals | All others | Breads and cereals containing dried fruit |
| Spreads | Jam, honey, peanut butter | Yeast spread, pickles and chutney |
| Hot breakfast choices | All others | Mushrooms, tomatoes, canned spaghetti, baked beans Any dishes made with tomato or peas (e.g. savoury mince) |
| Fruit | All others | Plums, grapes and dried fruit |
| Yoghurt | All | - |
| Desserts | Cakes and desserts containing allowed ingredients | All others, e.g. cakes and desserts containing dried fruit |
| Milk and cheese | All milks Most mild cheeses | Hard aged cheese, e.g. parmesan Camembert, blue vein cheese, Brie and Gruyere |
| Beverages | All others | Vegetable juice |
| Biscuits | Biscuits and crackers containing allowed ingredients | All others, e.g. biscuits and crackers containing dried fruit or parmesan cheese |
| Miscellaneous | Salt, pepper, sweetener, sugar, cream, nuts | Miso |
References
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Allergy Unit. RPAH Food Intolerance Handbook, Volume I: Diagnostic elimination diet. Sydney: RPAH 2016.
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Allergy Unit. RPAH Food Intolerance Handbook, Volume II: Challenges, liberalizing and maintenance. Sydney: RPAH 2016.
- Swain AR, Soutter VL, Loblay RH. Friendly food: the complete guide to avoiding allergies, additives and problem chemicals. Sydney: Murdoch Books; 2004.
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Monosodium glutamate: a safety assessment. Technical Report Series No 20. Canberra: FSANZ; 2003.