Those, who suffer from Alpha-gal Syndrome, it is known that pork and beef are off the menu.

But can these tick bite victims eat chicken and turkey? The unfortunate truth? Not all chicken and turkey products are safe for Lone Star tick bite victims with Alpha-gal Syndrome.

Coming from a middle class family, we were taught never to take what we enjoyed for granted. My dad worked as a mail carrier; and he also worked several nights part-time in a neighborhood liquor store to augment our family income. My mom also worked in the payroll department of a major department store – way before the days of direct deposit were even a pipe dream. Store employees received their wages in cash, nestled in hard addressed envelopes. True.

Part of our gestalt behavior was to only eat what you said you wanted at mealtime. Wasting food was a sin, a mindset that came from our ancestors who suffered through the Great Depression.

If you’re still with me, this is why I share this. My family cherishes mealtime when our children and grandchildren can all be in the same place at the same time – an an event made even more precious since the days of COVID isolation.

Last Easter, we decided to bite the proverbial bullet and host dinner outside on our backyard patio for the nine of us. My wife decided to make sauce – or better known as Italian Sunday Sauce or Gravy.

The preparation of enjoying such a feast is virtually an all-day affair. The early morning hours found her in our kitchen handcrafting meatballs of ground beef, veal, and lamb, beautifully seasoned with breadcrumbs, eggs, and loads of Pecorino Romano cheese. For an extra layer of flavor, a slab of spareribs was also cut up and fried in virgin olive oil after the meatballs and added to the simmering sauce.

Plan B – Sunday Gravy For An Alpha-Gal Sufferer

With our son-in-law now suffering from AGS due to a Lone Star tick bite he received when visiting a local farm, my wife put on her thinking cap and decided to create an alternative recipe which we could ALL safely enjoy.

The solution for the meat substitutes? Chicken sausage and turkey sausage – a creative stroke of genius – or so I thought.

As we sat down in the fresh Spring air to enjoy this inventive feast, my son-in-law said, “Mom, this is all wonderful – and I really appreciate it – but I can’t eat it. The sausages are in pig casings.” THUD.

Turkey sausage is not safe for Alpha-Gal Sufferers — Turkey sausage is not safe for Alpha-Gal sufferers.

All that effort, all that time, and all that money virtually wasted. Of course the rest of the family enjoyed it as we did an “exit stage left” and whipped up a box of mac and cheese for him.

Animal Food Products And By-Products That May Contain Alpha-Gal

Not all patients with AGS have reactions to every ingredient containing alpha-gal. The CDC reports that the following foods or food ingredients may contain alpha-gal. This is not a list of all products or ingredients that may contain alpha-gal.

Mammalian meat (such as beef, pork, lamb, venison, rabbit, etc.) can contain high amounts of alpha-gal. Certain cuts of meat may contain more alpha-gal than others. For example, organ meat of mammals, including liver, lung, heart, kidneys, intestines (tripe), sweetbreads, scrapple, and Rocky Mountain or prairie oysters generally contain high amounts of alpha-gal.
Food products that contain milk and milk products typically contain alpha-gal. Cow’s milk is the only alpha-gal containing ingredient classified as a major food allergen.
Some people with AGS may also be sensitive to alpha-gal found in:
Gelatin made from beef or pork
Products made from or cooked with mammalian fat (such as lard, tallow, or suet)
Meat broth, bouillon, stock, and gravy

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Dave Macchia, tick control enthusiast — Dave Macchia, Central Mass tick control enthusiast

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The Tick Awareness Kiss Of Death For The Likes Of Bobby Flay And Guy Fieri – What is Alpha-Gal Syndrome?

As we bask in the beautiful days and stellar evenings of spring heading into summer in just a few days, one thing is continually on my mind … firing up my Weber grill. At the end of the work day, there is nothing quite like the crunch of a well-grilled hot dog on a gluten-free bun smothered in mustard, hot sauce, and dill pickle relish. Not your fave? No worries. There’s plenty of room on the grill for plump hamburgers, hiding a pillow of butter and herbs. Ah … heaven.

alpha-gal, AGS, meat allergy — Imagine never eating another hotdog or hamburger.

But imagine, just imagine, if you could never, ever enjoy these meat delicacies again. Unthinkable for those of us who are devotees of sausages, ribs, steaks, and more.

Guess what? It happened to my son-in-law.

High Grasses Can Be The Trigger For Tick Infestations That Lead To AGS – Alpha-Gal Syndrome

Two years ago, my son-in-law, let’s call him Dennis, felt awful. Shortly after enjoying a New York strip steak – perfectly grilled, I may add – he broke out in a severe rash that covered most of his body and he had extreme difficulty breathing.

“What could have possibly been the trigger?” he asked aloud. “Was the meat spoiled?”

After a trip to the emergency room, a full exam, and multiple blood tests later, he was diagnosed with AGS – or Alpha-Gal Syndrome, something he, and the rest of our family, had never heard of.

What Is The Alpha-Gal Syndrome Caused By A Tick Bite?

Signs and symptoms of an alpha-gal allergic reaction are often delayed compared with other food allergies. Most reactions to common food allergens — peanuts or shellfish, for example — happen within minutes of exposure.

With alpha-gal syndrome, reactions usually appear about three to six hours after exposure. Red meat, such as beef, pork or lamb; organ meats; and products made from mammals, such as gelatins or dairy products, can cause a reaction.

Signs and symptoms of alpha-gal syndrome may include:

Hives, itching, or itchy, scaly skin (eczema)
Swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat, or other body parts
Wheezing or shortness of breath
A runny nose
Stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
Sneezing
Headaches
A severe, potentially deadly allergic reaction that restricts breathing

Doctors now think that the time delay between eating red meat and developing an allergic reaction is one reason why the AGS condition was overlooked until recently. A possible connection between a New York strip steak with dinner and hives at midnight was far from obvious.

How Can I Be Sure If A Tick Bite Caused Me To Contract Alpha-Gal Syndrome?

See your primary care doctor or a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies (allergist) if you experience food allergy symptoms after eating — even several hours after eating.

Don’t rule out red meat as a possible cause of your reaction, especially if you live or spend time outdoors in high grassy areas of the United States or in other parts of the world where alpha-gal syndrome is known to occur.

Seek emergency medical treatment if you develop signs or symptoms of anaphylaxis, such as:

Difficulty breathing
Rapid, weak pulse
Dizziness or light-headedness
Drooling and inability to swallow
Full-body redness and warmth (flushing)

The Effects Of Alpha-Gal Syndrome Can Sneak Up On You – Even Well-Educated Folks

So here’s a sad but true story. My wife makes an incredible pot of Sunday Sauce – or Gravy – laden with fresh heirloom tomatoes, spices, spareribs, Italian sausage, meatballs, and lamb. It simmers for hours and the aroma while it’s on the stove is simply intoxicating.

alpha gal means no sausage — Alpha-gal means no Italian sausage.

But Dennis can no longer enjoy it – and we would never think of enjoying it when he could not possibly enjoy it, too, at the same dinner table.

So my wife thought, “CHICKEN and TURKEY!” Not from four-legged mammals, surely they would be safe in the sauce, so she reinvented it with safe substitutes.

Long story short, Dennis and his family came for Sunday dinner and we proudly announce our meatless solution – chicken sausage and turkey meatballs in lieu of the Sunday Sauce core meat ingredients.

When we saw the look on his face of sadness and disappointment, we asked what was wrong.

“Is the chicken sausage in a natural casing from the supermarket market?” he asked. “Why yes,” we answered.

And that was it. The chicken sausage casing was from pig casings – and he can’t have anything from a pig – or any other four-legged animal.

Trying to be lighthearted about his misfortune, we tossed the contents of the pot into the trash and feasted on charcuterie cheeses, vegetables, and relishes with no sign of cold cuts in sight.

The Only Way To Exterminate The Tick Carriers Of AGS Is With Professional Canton Tick Control

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Tag: alpha gal syndrome

Can Alpha-Gal Sufferers Eat Turkey and Chicken?