Is it possible to have a dietary allergic reaction to Ammonium Persulfate?
Is it possible to have a dietary allergic reaction to ammonium persulfate?
Ammonium Persulfates are a bleaching agent and food preservative, used in all types of products (hair bleach, cleaning products, etc) It is ALSO used bleach white flour. I have a severe topical allergy to ammonium persulfate. Ironically, I own a bakery and that is how I came to find this out. My skin breaks immediately in a red rash that can quickly turn to a burning, painful sensation if I'm not careful.
A year ago I started to have some dietary issues. Diarrhea, loose stools, having a loose BM even when I didn't have the urge..., stomach pains, bloating, etc. I have done two stool samples, 6 blood tests, negative for celiacs...I've had a colonoscopy (showed some inflammation) followed up by a CT scan that confirmed I was negative for Crohns or ulcerative colitis.
I voluntarily omitted gluten from my diet to see if this relieved my symptoms and IT DID!
I'm wondering if it's not the gluten that I'm having an issue with, but actually the Ammonium Persulfate? And if that's the case...can I consume unbleached, whole grain flours?
I am so grateful for your response! I joined this site specifically to ask this question - I didn't know what to expect! Thank you for such a thoughtful and detailed response. It means a lot.
I am (obviously) not a medial professional...I wasn't sure if my thought process was completely unfounded and didn't know if there might be someone out here with a definitive answer, even if that answer was "no, that's physically impossible." I greatly appreciate that you took the time to look in to this; I have done plenty of it myself. And it does prevent very vague answers.
I agree that the quickest way to find out is to try unbleached and/or whole grain flours. I think my biggest challenge there will be sorting out what actually IS unbleached flour, as ammonium persulfate is not a listed ingredient...ever. Or at least that I've seen.
Thanks again! I was pleasantly surprised.
, you're quite welcome! I'm sorry I couldn't offer you a definitive answer, but, as I mentioned, I worked in bakeries and have a special interest in them. And, I was unaware that flour distributors don't list ammonium persulfate as an ingredient! I mean, I kind of understand why they don't. But, in this time of better allergy education and awareness, you think companies would be on top of listing ALL ingredients listed in the production process of ANY product (especially food products).
I'm glad I could offer you some solidarity! And, if you learn more about this, please feel free to share about it here. Your information could be really helpful for someone looking for information on this topic in the future.
Best, Erin, Allergies.net Team Member.
I have to admit, your question sent me down a bit of a research rabbit hole,
! I worked in bakeries for years and discovered I had a topical allergy to cinnamon, but that's not what you're here for!
All of the data I found does not address ammonium persulfate as a possible food allergen. That's not to say that it doesn't exist; just that I couldn't find information on the specific topic or evidence of any research done on the additive as a potential digestive allergen. As you probably know, all of the information is on ammonium persulfate as a topical allergen.
Since you have had testing done to rule out a number of digestive issues, you may want to do some experimenting for yourself. You may want to try some unbleached and/or whole wheat flour to see if your digestive issues return. That will let you know whether you are most likely dealing with a gluten sensitivity. Not that you really want to subject yourself to that, but it may be the best and quickest way to get an answer. That said, if using whole wheat or unbleached flour products does not cause you gastric distress, then you may surmise that you are sensitive to something besides gluten (and yes, possibly ammonium persulfate). You may never have the scientific data to back up your suspicions, but again, if you find out that ammonium persulfate is likely the culprit behind your digestive struggles, then you can work to avoid it as much as possible.
If I happen to find any research on ammonium persulfate as a digestive allergen, I'll definitely let you know!
I'm sorry I couldn't give you a definitive yes or no answer, but I still hope this helps!
Best, Erin, Allergies.net Team Member.
