Question About Cheese

[wolffree]

I am a month diagnosed gluten intolerant..and am starting to think am also casein intolerant...but I can drink milk and other stuff with no effects..but have noticed the few times I've had cheese especially today...I'm back on the porcelain...is it possible just to have a cheese intolerance??? I"m still learning...and have been totally gluten free for my month so far...the only thing I had this morning that I can pin down that would make me ill is the silly cheese...

Thanks...

[Mark]

The main milk allergens are:

casein

a-lactalbumin

B-lactalbumin

and you can get tested for:

cow's milk

boiled cow's

goat's milk

mare's milk

cheese-cheddar type

cheese-mold

whey

Casein makes up about 75-80% of all milk protein and is heat stable. That's why it is found in cheese as well. Actually, the casein concentration in cheese can be pretty high (depends on chesse type). Cheese analogs are all based on casein as a protein source.

The reaction to casein is either immediate (IgE related) or few hours/days delayed (IgG, IgA related).

I have the delayed reaction only, and it causes similar symptoms like gluten - bloating, cramps etc., but I noticed some sore throat, chest pain & asthma like reactions as well. Not sure it is all related to my casein intolerance. I'm still in search.

Anyway, the best way to find out more is to get tested.

MARK

gluten-free/CF since September 03

[astyanax]

colored cheeses, like cheddar, american, etc. can be colored with something called "annatto" that may or may not contain gluten (you have to call the company). could that be it? sorry if you already knew about that !

[lovegrov]

Annatto is gluten-free. This was an old falsehood from the CSA.

richard

[astyanax]

i noticed it was on celiac.com's website as being an ok ingredient but this is all news to me (very good news i might add) just to make sure: i don't have to avoid colored cheeses anymore (except shredded which may have wheat starch) and popcorn ?? i'd been avoiding certain microwave popcorns and cheddar cheeses etc. cos of annatto.. thanks for any help.

[lovegrov]

You do not have to avoid cheddar cheese (or almost any other cheese for that matter). I'm still careful about shredded cheeses but the fact is that almost all have cellulose, not wheat. I've heard of one variety of one brand microwave popcorn (one of the super butter or theater ones I think) that has gluten, but every other one I've ever checked or heard about has been gluten-free.

richard