My wife is only allergic to egg yolk, not egg white. On HealthNet I read that egg yolk also contains protein. Are those proteins other than those in the white of an egg, because she doesn’t react to that? Are they bound to fatty acids?
Patrick
Suzan Tuinier, nutritionist
Perhaps it would be good to first explain a little more about a food allergy. In case of a food allergy, our immune system makes specific antibodies against proteins that occur in the diet. These proteins are also called allergens.
Your wife has an allergy to the proteins in chicken eggs. The body makes antibodies against the proteins in the chicken egg, causing an allergic reaction when it ingests proteins from chicken egg. People with a chicken egg allergy react to all proteins present in the chicken egg. You are always allergic to the whole egg, because the proteins are in both the white part and the yolk.
Foods that contain chicken eggs also cause an allergic reaction. It does not matter whether the food also contains other substances, such as fatty acids.
Do you also have a question? Then ask one of our experts. Always go to your doctor with urgent questions, the experts are not the right person for that. They also do not diagnose. You can find the other conditions here.
Suzan Tuinier is a nutritionist and coordinator of the Vitamin Information Bureau. She has experience as a nutrition educator and researcher. You can contact Suzan with questions about vitamins and minerals.
