Mold Allergy & Food Sensitivity

If you have a respiratory mold allergy, be aware of mold in your diet, as it could become a problem for you later even if it's not now. Check all food for signs of mold before you eat it (especially bread, produce, and nuts).

Common food sources of mold include:

• cheese
• mushrooms
• foods made with yeast
• sour cream
• buttermilk
• beer
• wine
• potatoes
• soy sauce
• vinegar
• sauerkraut
• nuts
• pickled or smoked meats and fish
• dried fruits
• raw vegetables and fruits

Normally, chemical-free, organic produce is better for your health, but some people with mold allergy actually avoid organic produce because it gets moldy faster since it lacks chemical fungicides.

You can find out which common foods to which you are sensitive with the ALCAT Food Sensitivity Home Kit. This simple, at-home fingerstick blood test actually measures how your immune system reacts to different foods. Food sensitivities are not full-blown allergies, but they affect your immune system and can worsen other allergic conditions. The laboratory that conducts the ALCAT test, Cell Science Systems, actually has a panel of tests for molds so that you can see exactly which molds are problematic for you. They also offer test panels for antibiotic and drug sensitivities.

Originally published in the March 2007 issue of Allergy Consumer Report.