Allergy diet - red meat (mammalian) free

Aim

To provide a diet that excludes raw and cooked lamb, pork, beef, rabbit, kangaroo, goat, buffalo, venison and their derivatives, to avoid reactions in individuals with a mammalian meat allergy. This is an IgE-mediated food allergy to mammalian meat known as alpha-gal food allergy.

Characteristics

This diet avoids raw and cooked meat, mammalian gelatine and derivatives from mammalian meats including, lamb, pork, beef, rabbit, kangaroo, goat, buffalo and venison. Fish and poultry, including their derivatives (e.g. gelatine) is allowed.

Indications

All patients who report an allergy to red meat should be ordered this diet unless a medical officer or dietitian has advised otherwise.

Nutritional adequacy

This diet can be nutritionally adequate.

Precautions

Some people are so sensitive to alpha-gal, they react to mammalian products and also their milks. If the patient has had suspected milk reactions previously, then also order the Allergy - milk free diet.

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 determine if the product contains any mammalian meat or derivatives. Clarification is required for foods that contain compound ingredients to determine their components.

Paediatrics

Suitable for use in paediatrics when combined with an age-appropriate diet.

Specific menu planning guidelines

	Allowed	Not allowed
Hot main dishes	Hot main dishes made from chicken, turkey, duck, quail, fish, shellfish and molluscs Vegetarian and vegan dishes When choosing cheese-based dishes, rennet of microbial origin is safe to use	Lamb, pork, beef, rabbit, kangaroo, goat, buffalo and venison Meat extracts, e.g. Bonox, Bovril, veal or beef stock Beef and meat fats, such as tallow, lard, suet, dripping and foods cooked in these Dishes which contain meats, such as ham, bacon, devon, sausages, salami, prosciutto, pate and liverwurst Cheese made from animal or unknown source of rennet Ingredient lists of savoury foods need to be always examined for meat ingredients
Sauces, gravies	All others Cheese-based sauces containing microbial rennet	Sauces and gravies that contain juices from mammalian meats or derivatives, e.g. gravy made from pan juices or that contain meat extracts such as Bonox and Bovril Cheese made from animal or unknown source of rennet
Starchy vegetables / pasta / rice	All others	Any that contain mammalian meats or derivatives, such as potato bake, fried rice, hot chips cooked in tallow or lard
Vegetables	All others	Vegetable dishes that contain mammalian meats or derivatives, including fats used in cooking
Soups	All others	Soups or soup powder containing mammalian meat or derivatives as an ingredient, stock cubes or liquid stocks Take care with items like bacon or ham or flavours The ‘flavour’ ingredient in savoury packaged products, if not specified on the label, should be checked with the manufacturer
Sandwiches	All others	Fillings containing mammalian meats or derivatives, e.g. ham, bacon, devon, sausages, salami, prosciutto, pate, liverwurst
Salads, dressings	All, using allowed ingredients Mayonnaise and dressings	Components containing mammalian meats or derivatives, e.g. ham, bacon
Breads, cereals	All others	Breads and cereals containing mammalian meats or derivatives, including oils such as lard, suet or tallow
Spreads	Jam, nut butters and pastes, yeast spreads, marmalade, chocolate hazelnut spread and mayonnaise	Spreads that contain mammalian meats or derivatives, e.g. devilled ham spread
Hot breakfast choices	Egg dishes, baked beans, spaghetti, pancakes, mushrooms, creamed corn	Hot breakfast choices that contain mammalian meats or derivatives, e.g. ham and cheese omelettes, sausages, bacon
Fruit	All others	Fruit-based products containing gelatine from animal or unknown sources
Yoghurt	All others	Yoghurt containing gelatine from animal or unknown sources
Desserts	All others, including jelly made with vegetable gums	Cakes and desserts containing gelatine or animal derived rennet, e.g. panna cotta or junket
Milk and cheese	All others, rennet of microbial origin is safe to use	Items which include mammalian meat and their derivatives Cheese made from rennet with animal or unknown sources. Check source if not stated
Beverages	All water, milk (plain and flavoured), juices, cordials Tea and coffee, including decaffeinated	Beverages containing mammalian meat or derivatives
Biscuits	All others	Sweet or savoury baked products containing mammalian meat or derivatives, e.g. ham and cheese muffins, lard or shortening
Miscellaneous	All miscellaneous with allowed ingredients All herbs and spices, pepper, salt Nuts Sugar and artificial sweeteners	Other miscellaneous items that contain mammalian meat or derivatives, e.g. nutrition supplements containing gelatine or collagen

References

1. Tiara. Mammalian product free diet. Tiara. [cited 17 June 2020].
2. Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia. Mammalian Meat Allergy. Sydney: AA&A; 2020. [cited 17 June 2020].
3. Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Ingredient Labelling of Foods User Guide to Standard 1.2.4 – Labelling of Ingredients. FSANZ; 2013.