We rarely eat out. We didnt eat out much before my son was diagnosed with multiple food allergies and go out even less now. However, this past week we have been traveling and have been to several restaurants out of necessity. One thing I have noticed is I cant get any info on what kind of vegtable oil they fry the french fries in. They just say vegtable oil. My son is 17 months and I just give him food that I bring but as he gets older this is less and less agreeable to him. Any suggestions? I HATE fastfood! He cant have dairy, egg, soy or peanut.

On Jun 11, 2004

If they tell me it is vegetable oil, I ask what kind. They usually say - just vegetable oil. I say-what kind of vegetable oil? Is it corn, canola, soybean? It usually says on the ingredients label what kind? Will you please let me see the container that it comes in, so I can be sure that it doesn't contain peanut or nut oil? If they hesitate, I explain that generic vegetable can contain any kind of oil or combination of oils and since my son is severely allergic to peanuts and nuts, I have to be sure that these are not in any foods he eats. Usually they bring out the container for me to read for myself.

On Jun 13, 2004

Nevermind the oil right now because if your son has these allergies, he is most likely to react to something that the oil was also used to fry. Some french fries contain milk and or soy. Also many restaurants fry seafood together in the same fryers. I would advise not letting him eat any fried restaurant food until some of those allergies are outgrown. Even then, I would proceed with caution.

On Jun 13, 2004

I remember having this discussion with another PA.com member a few years ago. I was living in the previous town we lived in. It was a discussion about canola oil (which is very popular in Canada).

On the grocery store shelf of the one grocery store in my town, there was a canola oil marked 100% canola oil on the front label.

Then, on the ingredient label, it read "may contain traces of peanuts".

So, I remember when the other member was discussing canola oil, and I think it was also in an eat-out situation, I did caution that it is best if you can actually physically look at the container to make sure that there are no warnings.

I know that other people were shocked when I posted this, but it was an inexpensive store brand oil - I actually suspect the kind of oils that restaurants would tend to buy because they are less expensive.

I have the peanut oil frying chip wagon at my corner (two doors away from me) and when I went to inquire about the peanut oil (if it was cold pressed, etc. after the great help that I got here), I asked if I could look at the giant container of oil that they were using for more information.

When my son's school changed pizza parlours when he was in SK, I called to see what kind of oil they were using and they said "vegetable oil". I explained my situation to the woman and asked her if she could please check the container and get back to me. She did. I also believe the next time I was close to that pizza parlour I actually went in and physically checked myself as well.

I'm not saying that you have to ask to see the containers of oil in the kitchen. For me, it really depends on the size of the restaurant and how well I feel the question has been answered, I don't know.

But I did want to put that caution in about the answer canola oil, and I believe someone above even mentioned how different oils may be mixed together.

Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

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On Jun 13, 2004

If they say "vegetable oil", I always say: "which vegetable?" and ask to see the container because I have a lot of practice reading labels.

[This message has been edited by dmbb (edited June 13, 2004).]

On Jun 14, 2004

I always ask. If they can't tell me what's in the food, I don't eat it. And if there are other options, my husband doesn't eat there, either.

I always travel with food. I'm vegetarian and allergic to soy, latex, peant, papaya, and penicillium (brie, blue cheese, etc). If I carry butter and sour cream in a cooler, I can at least get an undressed potato at Wendy's or a steak place.

In my experience, most stores using "vegetable" oil are using a soy blend. It's very rare that they have a 100% canola or sunflower oil blend. Soy is cheaper and more common and has a more neutral taste than soy.

Some authentic Italian places aren't even safe, as they somtimes cut the olive oil with a cheaper bland oil, like soy.

ygg

[This message has been edited by krasota (edited June 18, 2004).]