How Safe Are Soy Products for Those Allergic to Soy?

Lately I have become more alarmingly aware of the usage of soy-based inks and other soy products.. I say "alarmingly aware" as I have a severe allergy to soy, among other severe food allergies.

The first time I encountered anything with soy-based ink was while shopping at a local health food store. On the way out the door, the cashier handed me a flier for their latest sales. My husband and I piled the groceries in the car and drove home.

Once home and after the groceries were put away, I sat down and began to leaf through the color pages of the flier. I spotted some pretty good deals and thought we should get the flier more often. About the third or fourth page in, I saw it. There, at the bottom of the page, with the little stars in front of it, was the statement that the flier was printed using soy-based inks.

I was alarmed and upset at this. With all of my severe food allergies, I try hard to stay away from foods - even shampoos, conditioners, and lotions that have extracts of allergenic foods in them - and BAMB! I'm hit with something like this. I don't have to eat any food I'm severely allergic to get a reaction. All I have to do is touch something with the allergenic food, and if the residue is left on my skin too long, I break out in hives.

"Oh, great!" I said after reading the soy-based ink statement.

My husband looked up at me and questioned as to what the problems was. I told him about the soy-based ink. His response: "Throw it (the flier) away and go wash your hands." He knows how severe of a reaction I can have to the point where hives make my head swell, or I struggle for my next breath.

I was a little shaky after that wondering when a reaction would start. Thankfully, I didn't have a reaction...this time. I was able to calm myself down and just told myself not to handle the flier from that store. Problem solved, right? I thought so, but found out I was horribly wrong.

In late June '07, on a very mild, humid, sunny and breezy morning, I let my 11 year old Chihuahua, Tea Cup, outside and spotted a yellow plastic bag that said, Yellow Book. I realized our new phone book was inside.