Check out our recap of Food Allergy Awareness Month, read our Peanut Allergy Alert about Maple Lodge Farms adding pea protein to its wiener products, help us welcome our two new Corporate Ambassadors, and sign up for our June webinar on food allergy treatment. Plus, discover our tips and resources for having an allergy-safe summer.
It’s a wrap for May: Food Allergy Awareness Month
Thanks for another successful Food Allergy Awareness Month (FAAM)! From the start of FAAM to the end, many of you participated in our Know it. Treat it. campaign to empower Canadians to know the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis and to treat it with epinephrine.
Through the Know It. Treat It. campaign, you took part in our webinars and Facebook lives, shared our posts and resources, took a photo of one of 50+ monuments across the country lit in teal, and contributed a #KnowItTreatIt story to share your experience with recognizing and treating anaphylaxis.
Congratulations to our Know it. Treat it. contest winners! Thank you to everyone who helped raise awareness of anaphylaxis through their #KnowItTreatIt stories. We had over 100 story submissions in May from all over Canada! Everyone who submitted a story was entered into our contest. We’re excited to announce the winners of the #KnowItTreatIt contest below.
Grand prize winner – $100 + a Food Allergy Canada prize pack
- Bethany S., Kitchener, ON
Food Allergy Canada prize pack winners
- Tara R., Swan Hills, AB
- Valerie L., Ottawa, ON
- Leah H., Surrey, BC
Help us keep the #KnowItTreatIt conversation going throughout the year, Because of the power of the stories shared, we are going to keep this gallery open on our site all year long. You can check it out at foodallergycanada.ca/KnowTreat and get inspired to share your story!
Many thanks to our supporters for being #FoodAllergyChampions!
We truly appreciate the generosity of the organizations below for donating a considerable amount of media space so we could spread awareness and education on how to recognize and treat anaphylaxis with the Give and Go ads. Combined, we had over 117 million impressions across the country (meaning, our Give and Go messages were displayed over 117 million times)!
- VENDO Media for donating a significant amount of outdoor billboard space across Canada.
- Captivate Network for donating an extensive network of office lobby and elevator advertising across Canada.
- Adapt Media for donating a large amount of retail space where our ads appeared in independent convenience stores and small grocery and retail stores within city centres, busy intersections, and condo development areas.
- UB Media for donating a significant amount of advertising space across their national networks, including leading post-secondary campuses, and restaurants/bars.
ICYMI – Peanut Allergy Alert: Pea protein added to Maple Lodge Farms wiener products
Maple Lodge Farms Ltd. announced the addition of a new ingredient, pea protein, to its popular wiener products distributed nationwide:
- Maple Lodge Farms The Original Chicken Wieners 450g
- Zabiha Halal Original Chicken Wieners 450g
- Zabiha Halal Corn Dog 1kg
Some people with peanut allergy may have an allergic reaction to foods containing ingredients that come from peas, like pea protein or pea protein isolate. Please speak with your allergist about the safety of eating products containing pea protein if you have concerns.
Packaging changes for the impacted products started in late 2023 and are ongoing throughout 2024.
Find more details on the products affected and read Maple Lodge Farms’ update outlining the ingredient and labelling changes.
Welcome to our new Corporate Ambassadors
Please help us welcome the two newest members of our Corporate Ambassador Program, Riverside Natural Foods (Home of MadeGood) and Uber Eats.
This program provides a unique offering within the Canadian marketplace where we work with companies to make allergen management a food safety priority, with a shared goal of helping to increase access to accurate ingredient information so everyone can make safe and informed food choices.
Read below for more on our new members!
Riverside Natural Foods (Home of MadeGood)
Through the Corporate Ambassador Program, we are committed to working with Riverside Natural Foods to help them better understand and respond to the needs of Canadians with food allergy through ongoing engagement and collaboration.
In turn, Riverside Natural Foods is committed to educating Canadians about product ingredients and nutrition, enabling them to make informed choices that meet their dietary needs. Through their portfolio of brands, they strive to provide individuals and families with a range of high-quality products and choices, which cater to many impacted by food allergy.
For more information or if you have questions related to their product offerings, please visit riversidenaturalfoods.com.
Thank you to Riverside Natural Foods for their support and commitment to the food allergy community through our Corporate Ambassador Program.
Uber Eats
As a part of the Corporate Ambassador Program, we are committed to working with Uber Eats to help them better understand and respond to the needs of Canadians with food allergy through ongoing engagement and collaboration.
As a member of this program, Uber Eats is committed to improving the online ordering experience for people with food allergy so they can more easily navigate safe food options and disclose their food allergies in a streamlined way.
This is a positive first step, we look forward to our continued collaborations with Uber Eats, and others in the foodservice industry, to ensure Canadians with food allergy can navigate safe food choices.
Learn more about the food allergy features that Uber Eats recently introduced in their app!
Webinar June 26th: Food allergy treatment – what is allergen immunotherapy and how has it advanced over the past 5 years?
Join us to hear from Dr. Edmond Chan about food allergen immunotherapy (also known as desensitization). If you’re interested in treatments and therapies for food allergy, this session is a must! Register now.
What the webinar is about: What food allergen immunotherapy is and its various forms:
- Oral immunotherapy (OIT) – where the allergen is eaten
- Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) – where the allergen is placed under the tongue
- Epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) – where an allergen patch is applied to the skin
Find out who the treatments are best suited for, what they can and cannot accomplish, what the current landscape is for each therapy, and what’s on the horizon.
Who is presenting: Dr. Edmond Chan, a Pediatric Allergist at the BC Children’s Hospital (BCCH) Allergy Clinic, UBC Clinical Professor, Clinical Investigator at BCCH Research Institute, and Head of the BCCH Division of Allergy & Immunology, where he leads a food allergy research program. He is clinical investigator with both national and international research studies. Dr. Chan is Vice President of the CSACI, on the Executive of the CPS’ Allergy Section, and on Food Allergy Canada’s Healthcare Advisory Board, and steering committee for Canada’s National Food Allergy Action Plan.
When is it: Wednesday, June 26, 2024 from 12-1pm EDT.
Tips and resources for an allergy-safe summer
It’s summertime! Check out our tips and resources for having a fun and allergy-safe season.
From day camp to overnight camp, many kids look forward to a summer camp experience.
Discover our tips for attending camp and managing food allergy with confidence.
Wherever you go this summer, have your epinephrine auto-injectors handy and stored at room temperature, not exposed to extreme heat or cold. Read our sheet on epinephrine for more information.
Whether your travel is by planes, trains, or automobiles, summer is a popular time for a trip!
Read our tips about planning ahead and find resources for travelling with food allergy.
Summer is a perfect time to have a BBQ or picnic with family and friends. Follow our hosting tips sheet so that food allergy is factored in and everyone enjoys these gatherings.