Quick facts
- Eggs have two allergenic parts, the yolk and the white.
- Eggs are considered a priority food allergen by Health Canada.
- Many children with an egg allergy may outgrow the allergy within a few years. For others, an egg allergy can be a lifelong condition. If your child has an egg allergy, consult your allergist before reintroducing your child to egg products.
- The proteins in eggs from chickens are similar to those found in eggs from ducks, geese, quails and other birds or fowl. Therefore, people who are allergic to eggs from chickens may also experience reactions to the eggs from other animals.
- Some people with egg allergy can consume extensively heated/baked products that contain egg (i.e., with the product completely cooked throughout). If you have an egg allergy, please consult with your allergist before consuming any baked products containing egg.
Allergic reactions to eggs
If you have an egg allergy, keep an epinephrine auto-injector (e.g., EpiPen®, ALLERJECT®) with you at all times. Epinephrine is the first-line treatment for severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis).
Tips
- Learn more about anaphylaxis and the signs and symptoms
- Find out how to treat reactions
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Be allergy-aware: How to avoid eggs
- Read ingredient labels every time you buy or eat a product. If the label indicates that a product "Contains" or "may contain" egg, do not eat it. If you do not recognize an ingredient, if there is no ingredient list available, or if you don't understand the language written on the packaging, avoid the product.
- Do the Triple Check and read the label:
- Once at the store before buying it.
- Once when you get home and put it away.
- Again before you serve or eat the product.
- Always carry your epinephrine auto-injector. It's recommend that if you do not have your auto-injector with you, that you do not eat.
- Check with manufacturers directly if you are not sure if a product is safe for you.
- Be careful when buying products from abroad, since labelling rules differ from country to country.
- Watch for cross-contamination, which is when a small amount of a food allergen (e.g., egg) gets into another food accidentally, or when it's present in saliva, on a surface, or on an object. This small amount of an allergen could cause an allergic reaction.
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Other names for eggs
- Albumin/Albumen
- Conalbumin
- Egg substitutes such as Egg BeatersTM
- Eggnog
- Globulin
- Livetin
- Lysozyme
- Meringue
- Ovalbumin
- Ovoglobulin
- Ovolactohydrolyze proteins
- Ovomacroglobulin
- Ovomucin, ovomucoid
- Ovotransferrin
- Ovovitellin
- Silico-albuminate
- Simplesse® (fat replacer)
- Vitellin
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Possible sources of eggs
- Alcoholic cocktails/drinks
- Baby food
- Baked goods and baking mixes
- Battered/fried foods
- Candy, chocolate
- Cream-filled pies
- Creamy dressings, salad dressings, spreads
- Desserts
- Egg/fat substitutes
- Fish mixtures
- Foam milk topping on coffee
- Homemade root beer, malt drink mixes
- Icing, glazes such as egg washes
- Lecithin
- Meat mixtures (e.g. hamburgers, hot dogs, meatballs, meatloaf)
- Pasta
- Quiche, soufflé
- Sauces such as Béarnaise, Hollandaise, Newburg
- Soups, broths, bouillons
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Non-food sources of eggs
- Anaesthetic such as Diprivan®
- Certain vaccines
- Craft materials, including some paints
- Hair care products
- Medications
Note: These lists are not complete and may change.
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Report a reaction
If you believe you may have reacted to an allergen not listed on the packaging, you can report it to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which may issue a product recall. Find out more on our Food Labelling page.