Rex's story

Nine year old Rex has been allergic to peas and lentils for several years and knows to avoid them – a task which is becoming harder as pea protein is increasingly used in a wide range of foods, including sweet treats.

“One morning I ate a hot cross bun, started to struggle with breathing and went into anaphylactic shock. 

I have an EpiPen which was used but then I was taken to hospital. I got better.

When mum looked at the packaging on the hot cross buns, it turned out the glazing contained pea protein – causing the allergic reaction.

My dad said: ‘What is pea protein doing in a hot cross bun?’

Hot cross buns aren’t the only product that has caused me a problem – an ice cream from a corner shop led to a reaction. I’d eaten the same ice cream many times before but I didn’t know the recipe had been changed to include pea protein.

I now check the ingredients really carefully on most things I eat, whether they are sweet or savoury.”

Sarah, Rex’s mum, says: “I want to see clear and easy to read labelling on all products and for allergies to be taken seriously. Rex has looked up ingredient lists by himself sometimes when a shop or restaurant hasn’t been able to answer his questions. 

With the increasing complexity of recipes, it’s no long good enough for people to just think that if someone is allergic they have to avoid peas and lentils – they now have to avoid all sorts of things. It can make day to day life stressful.”