bread allergy

[Wilko]

Hi

My wife suffers 2//3 days of severe stomach pain if she eats baguette, croissants, whole grain etc but has no problems with pasta, couscous muesli etc. However she has been over in the UK and decided to try bread and found that she was just fine. Is there something in french bread that is not in UK bread ?? Has anyone else suffered this problem and managed to overcome it. All alergy tests here have shown nothing.

Regds Wilko

[Phil & Pat]

I have heard that lupin flour is sometimes used in Europe but less often in the UK.

Just one link HERE.

Good luck.

(Flower?  Where did that come from?)

[5-element]

 

Could it be the yeast in the bakery products? But then, is the UK yeast any different?

 I do know that French flour is a different kind to the flour usually found in UK bread. One is stronger, has a higher amount of protein, is grown in Canada mainly, but can't remember which is which.. Perhaps (another hypothesis) some preservative in French flour?

[Callie]

Hi Wilko - I have even heard French people say they feel bloated and uncomfortable if they eat baguette !

Perhaps your wife has a reaction to the wheat here (no, I'm not talking about coeliac disease).  Have you tried bread made from "épeautre" which is "spelt" flour.  I know people with a wheat allergy who enjoy épautre bread with no problems.  It is delicious and tastes, well, just like bread !

Otherwise there is always the sliced bread "pain de mie" which is obviously not the same, but which she might be happier eating.

Good luck !

[Patf]

If your wife is made ill by eating french bread it's more likely to be a gluten allergy.

I had a look at some french bread flour today and they all had added gluten. Other additives are mostly vegetable ie soya, citric acid.

Perhaps the gluten in english/canadian  flour is more natural and less likely to produce an allergy. Flour used to make pasta etc has less gluten.

[Wilko]

Hi

Thanks so much for all your replies. It appears that it may well be the lupin flour. I read the link and problems with peanuts which cause her huge discomfort/pain, 'scuse the pun.

Thanks again

Wilko

[Joy1]

Hi Wilko

I have exactly the same problem as you wife so I know how she feels![:(] I love french bakery products but they sure don't love me! I am also absolutely fine with all UK breads, I ate them for 3 weeks in July with no problems, not much help for the rest of the year in France though! I now make tortilla wraps for my lunches and eat ryvita (Wassa?) crackers with cheese. When I eat at other peoples houses I just avoid eating the bread or have a very small piece! Joy

[Clair]

Wouldn't it be easier for sufferers to make their own bread at home?

A bread-maker (machine à pain or MAP) can be had for less than €50 from Lidl or Aldi and using a single locally-milled flour to start with would help narrow down the cause of the problem.

Spelt flour (farine d'épeautre) is less likely to cause allergy problems (http://www.dovesfarm.co.uk/organic/info-spelt.htm) and makes a very quick bread (posted here).

As Joy suggests in her post, when not at home, avoid bread whenever possible.