Response from Hellmanns, opinions please

[julissa]

I wrote to Hellmanns about their Canola mayonnaise. I am allergic to soy and have been using this product as it had been stated on the label as no soy in the ingredients. I wasn't happy when I went to get some, checked the label and saw soy as a flavoring in the ingredients. what floored me is what they said that it has always been there, just now they are listing it. huh? 

this is what I got back:

Hello

Thank you for contacting us regarding soy in Hellmann's Canola Mayonnaise. 
 

Hellmann's® and Best Foods® Mayonnaise products are currently manufactured with soybean oil unless stated on the label. This oil is not hydrogenated! In fact, the oil is used strictly as the “emulsifier” and contributes to the texture only.

To ensure that it does not affect the appearance and flavor of our product, the oil is 100% refined and filtered in a treatment process whereby the oil is rendered free of any contaminants, foreign substances, color, odor or aroma, rancidity and off-flavor notes.

Soy in natural flavor (our proprietary spice blend) has always been present. Due to new labeling requirements – it is now being called out on the label.

There is no soy protein (allergen) in the product. It contains <0.1% of soybean oil.  

Sincerely,

Hellmann's Consumer Services 

 

[StephanieL]

Highly refined soy hasn't ever had to be declared in foods. I don't know why they are saying it needs to be now because I was not aware of anything like that coming into law recently.  

Are you actually allergic, as in epi pen?  If so and you haven't reacted it's one of those soy oil vs. soy lecithin type things where you don't have an issue with the highly refined oils.

[julissa]

Hi Stephanie, thanks for your reply. I don't have an epi pen for this, I had testing done at an allergist office, and was told I am allergic to soy, among other things. the symptoms I used to get when eating soy was intestinal upset, not life threatening, just annoying. 

I also was unaware in the change in labeling laws. interesting stuff 

thanks again for posting 

[StephanieL]

Then you are intolerant and not allergic if you were not prescribed epi pens.  That said, I would assume you are okay with the highly refined oils which is why you haven't had issues in the past which is a good thing!

 

[julissa]

very interesting read Stephanie, thanks. all I knew was what the allergist told me. she did skin tests and based on the reactions I was told I was allergic to dairy and soy 3 years ago. I went to see her because I felt nauseous at times and didn't know why. I felt great after giving up the dairy and soy. after a while the nausea came back, so I went back and she told me I was allergic to chocolate. to me this was the worst of all of it!

so I can't figure out why she would tell me i had these food allergies. 

if in fact I am intolerant and not allergic, then maybe there is hope i can reintroduce these foods since it's been 3 years. 

thoughts? 

[StephanieL]

Did you see a board certified allergist or a chiropractor or some other kind of practitioner?  I am NOT a Dr. obviously so if that is what she told you I will not argue that. 

I will say that allergy testing is 50/50 for a positive.  Meaning 1/2 the time it's not a correct diagnosis.  If your issues were only mild nausea, most would call it an intolerance. Granted, the treatment would be the same (avoidance) but if you are truly allergic, a good Dr. won't let you leave the office without a script for an epi pen.  

[julissa]

I saw a board certified allergist who is well respected where I live.  she did give me an epi pen but not for the soy allergy. 

[StephanieL]

For the dairy then? 

Getting back to it, the Hellmann's response about soy is basically you've been eating it all along and not they have changed labeling practices.  You've never had an issue so I would guess your soy issue is a) a true IgE allergy and it's highly enough processed or b ) you are more intolerant than allergic.

 

Did they test for a whole bunch of things all at once?  That is how they use to test but now they do not recommend testing for anything that there hasn't been a known reaction to because of the high rate of false positives.  They can severely limit a persons diet needlessly because of the inaccuracies of it.  Did they ever do blood testing?  Sometimes there are trends in the levels and that opens the chance of not reacting to the food any more.  

[julissa]

thanks for all your insight Stephanie. yes, she did test for a lot of things at once. no blood testing was ever done. I am going to look into this.  

happy new year! 

[StephanieL]

Happy New Year to you too!  

 

We have been dealing with IgE mediated allergy and Celiac disease for a long time. If you have questions I may be able to help with feel free to PM me.