Red Meat (Alpha Gal) Allergy
Alpha-gal allergy is also called red meat allergy. Alpha-gal is short for galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose. It is a sugar molecule found in red meat of mammals like cow, lamb and pig.
Alpha-gal allergy can occur after a person is bitten by a lone star tick that has previously eaten deer blood. If the person’s immune system reacts aggressively to the alpha-gal in the deer blood, they can develop an alpha-gal allergy.
The best prevention for alpha-gal is avoiding tick bites. Once you have alpha-gal allergy, the same tenets for any food allergy apply, primarily consisting of avoiding the food allergen.
Note: Allergens may be found in many foods. Please consult your doctor and check all foods for safety before consuming. Do not solely rely on any technology (including ours) or others to ensure safety.