An individual with an allergy to eggs can be allergic to either the egg white, egg yolk or both. An allergic reaction to egg whites is caused by one of four proteins: ovomucoid, ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, or lysozyme. A reaction to egg yolk is caused by one of three different proteins: livetin, apovitillin, or vosvetin.
Manufacturers are required to list the word “egg” on the ingredients if the product contains any form of egg, so it is unlikely that you need to have memorized all of the names of egg proteins that could exist in a particular food. It is still worthwhile to be familiar with some of the words you might see on an item’s ingredients that mean the egg protein is present.
Food containing eggs:
- dried egg
- powdered egg
- egg solids
- egg white
- egg white solids
- egg yolk
- eggnog
- mayonnaise
- meringue
- Simplesse
Ingredients containing egg protein:
- albumin or albumen
- globulin or ovoglobulin
- ovomucin
- livetin
- lysozyme
- ovalbumin
- surimi
- vitellin
- silici albuminate
- ovomucoild
- ovotransferrin
- ovovitella or ovovitellin
It is surprising how many types of food can contain eggs, and an ingredient list is not always handy. Below is a list of food you should be diligent in checking (and double checking!), as these often contain eggs in some form.
Food often containing eggs:
- baked goods (e.g. breads, crackers, doughnuts, French toast, muffins, pancakes, pretzels, waffles, brownies, cakes, cookies)
- glazes for baked goods such as pretzels or bagels
- egg substitutes (often these are substitutes for whole eggs but still contain egg whites)
- lecithin
- macaroni
- pasta
- marzipan
- marshmallows (especially marshmallow spreads)
- nougat
- breading and batters for frying (e.g. chicken nuggets, schnitzel, country-fried meats)
- meatloaf
- meatballs
- sausage
- foaming agents for drinks such as beer, lattes, or cappuccinos
- Orange Julius
- root beer
- Ovaltine
- makeup
- shampoo (e.g. Sunsilk)
- medicine (including flu vaccine)
- taffy
- cream-filled pies or cream-filled candies
- custard
- ice cream
- icing / frosting
- pudding
- sherbet
- sauces (Bearnaise, Hollandaise, Newburgh, or other cream sauces)
- salad dressings (e.g. Caesar, Ranch)
- soups (noodle soups, clear soups and broth, Chinese egg-drop soup)
- fudge
- fritters
- macaroons
- tarter sauce
- wines (cleared with egg whites)
- soufflés
- malted cocoa drinks
- griddle cakes
The above list is a combination of several sources and personal experience.
A cut-out list including most of the foods and ingredients mentioned above can be found at
kidshealth.org.
