Food sensitivities

"If we tell the airlines that she can't have foods with a specific E-number, how responsive would they be in putting together meals she can eat"

No airline is going to prepare a special meal for her beyond the standard special meal offerings (which you need to pre order). I do know that if you fly Singapore Airlines you can order a bland meal, and some other variations of special meals that may be suitable.

https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/flying-withus/dining/specialmeals/

I don't have special dietary requirements but am not a big fan of airline meals and do often bring my own food, and it's possible even on long flights. Changi has a couple of supermarkets landside for resupply during transit if you're flying via Singapore.

I would suggest she can certainly travel, but probably needs to self catering wherever possible.

I am sorry to hear that she collapsed. That’s severe for IBS. I have lived with something similar for the last 5 years and it has been inconvenient but can’t imagine it being so bad as to end my lifestyle completely.

I can only speak for myself; each must choose based on their situation. I know what I can eat and I stick to it when away from home. When in doubt I get a salad. When it does occur, I have OTC meds for it and I am back on the road in 24 hours.

You might want to stay away from places that don’t have a reputation for good facilities; Rome for instance. If there is any chance that she would need medical assistance I would do that research before leaving; just to be comfortable that you could address it if needed. For instance, if you came here, and asked in advance, I would tell you the name of a good clinic that might even take your travel medical insurance and I would explain how the process and pharmacies work. I am certain that someone on the forum could do the same for every country.

But no, me personally, it hasn’t slowed me down. 70 is young and there is a lot of life left to be lived.

Airline food? It makes everyone sick. Do a little shopping in the departures hall.

The airlines can only offer the special meals they offer and nothing else. (Although on a couple of recent flights they did announce that someone on board had a very serious peanut allergy and asked people to refrain from eating anything with peanuts.)

I would also be wary of ordering a "bland" meal. I had to do this last summer as I was coming off a bought of food poisoning. For some reason, "bland" to whomever designed the meal thought covered in pepper is considered bland.

If she decides to bring her own food, make sure it is okay to take through security.

Most food in Europe has less additives than you find in other countries.

If she takes any OTC meds for her problems, it might be a good idea to bring enough with you rather than expect it to be available in Europe.

As an example, in the US, Pepto Bismol is a very popular product to take for digestive problems. However, except for the UK, it's not available in Europe.

Thanks both for the replies. I feel a little heartened by your responses. Thanks for the information about the airlines and special meals. I was wondering if it was a pipe dream to get specially prepared foods on planes. But yes, I guess we would look at taking food if we had to. I think I remember reading that you can get fruit meals on planes, I don't think anything could go wrong there. And now also to rethink how we might travel. We really enjoy restaurants and so now we would have to research what she can eat and how to get past this, and if a salad would be OK (what if the E-number is in the dressing, and other sobering questions). Or maybe a cheese platter ...? Without the crackers or bread? Or fewer restaurants, more attractions. When my daughter was small, our travel arrangements were planned all around her needs. Now I think we will have to plan trips around our in-laws for a few years, if we are the ones to escort them. Something else to negotiate. Self-catering is fine by me, we would just have to adjust. And I don't suppose you can ask restaurants to check for additives - this one seems so all-pervasive that it is proving difficult to get past it.

I think my mother-in-law was already very stressed when she collapsed as she had spent quite a few days alone in a new city, trying to find food and not being near a supermarket, and just generally trying to cope with the unknowns of an operation for her husband (who we think will be fine in the long run). Fortunately my sister-in-law had come a day or two before that and whipped her into shape, and then my husband took over. But it's a bit of a milestone when you are suddenly the responsible adult with reference to parents. You are right, 70 is not old, and we want to make sure they can still have pleasure in travel in years to come. Thanks again both for the good advice!

Lavandula

Thanks Frank for the advice about meds. I don't think she has any meds, but perhaps this is something we need to look at too. And thanks for the tip about availability in Europe. Not something I was thinking about, we will take it up with her. We talk on Sundays so maybe tomorrow will be a discussion about future travel and what to take on board (virtually and physically).

Lavandula

We typically fly British Airways from the U.S.A. to Europe, landing or connecting in London. My husband has ordered a variety of their various meals, which have included the regular Economy section options (for the past 15 years it’s always “Chicken or Pasta”), Hindu, Muslim, and Kosher. Anything in Economy other than what gets offered as regular food to everyone has to be pre-ordered more than a day or two in advance, but those special meals are still mass-prepared by the company with which the airline has contracted, and it’s still indebted for a pretty big audience. I don’t know if more expensive class sections of the plane offer any greater opportunities for custom meals. I wonder if you could arrange for a caterer to prepare suitable food that could be picked up on the way to an airport, or delivered to the airport somehow?

I will no longer have any of an airline’s meals, and for years now have brought a big salad from home. Staying a couple nights in London before flying to other European destinations, I’ve assembled salads there, too, and reuse the plastic bowl with lid that I have for that purpose. No problem ever getting it through Security. I did likewise going to Vietnam a couple of years ago - two salads, for a journey composed of two long flights.

In Europe, I’ve found that restaurant menus have extensive lists of potential allergens in each dish, disclosing allergy concerns, although I’m not familiar with the E-number designation, and don’t know how easy that would be to identify at restaurants. As you noted, self-catering apartments offer a way to control what’s in a meal, but require making the meal, like at home.

Lavandula, I deal with it 4 out of 7 days a week. I only have a vague idea of what sets it off. The meds are a last resort for me because they cause opposite problems 🤣 (you just gotta laugh to get through life), but while Pepto isn’t available (and doesn’t help much anyway) things like Imodium are, but like Frank suggests, bring a box of anything she might use. I went to a Thai Festival yesterday.... I know it was digestive suicide, but I do so love Thai food. Today I “compensate”.

One of the flights I was on recently offered Vegetarian or maybe it was Vegan. That might have more on the plate that works for her. Dressing? Oil and vinegar. I didn’t say it was “fun”. Also Kosher tends to be vegetarian and most airlines offer Kosher.

As I recall, my husband’s Kosher meal on British Airways was enormous, and included lox with a bagel, in addition to the main course, and was not vegetarian. He said it was pretty stodgy.

Speaking of vegetables, I recall them always being way overcooked in plane food. The foil lid on the little plastic dish must just boil them to virtual mush.

Some trains offer food, too, often more than potato chips and pop. I wonder if any of that works better than what’s on a long flight? We’ve brought our own food on trains as well, and have a picnic in our seats - with a table, when we can.

@ Cyn: Ha, I think my MIL would probably really like the idea of having to fly another class to get past the meal issue (and so would I)! Singapore Airlines has 'Book the Cook', definitely worth exploring! And good to know that a pre-prepared salad works for long haul. I was worried about keeping things fresh. Wondering if anyone has experience with packing those ice bricks you use in coolers? We never did this when my daughter was small and were bringing food, but I could see a reason to now. And if you BYO food, will the air crew heat your food for you?

A good idea about vegetarian, Kosher and vegan options, Mr. E. I am sorry to hear you have had your struggles with this too and I am glad you have found a way to manage it. Thai food is definitely worth it in my book!

Lavandula

"I think I remember reading that you can get fruit meals on planes,"

Singapore Airlines carries some fruit and you can order more in advance. Qantas is excellent in Economy with big baskets of fruit available at the galley for snacking.

I can certainly understand your mother is law's caution.

Just a word of caution about special meals on airlines. I used to order the vegan selection which was usually some kind of curry but on occasion it wasn’t vegan at all because it contained cheese.

I know Australia is quite strict about bringing in any food but European countries don’t seem to be concerned with packaged foods. If you can find some sort of bar for a back up snack if the food on the plane turns out not to be suitable that would be good. I always carry some Luna or Clif bars which are readily available for me in the US but may contain additives she doesn’t tolerate.

I hope you can help her find a solution!

Yeah, another thought I had was about Korean Air which always serves bibimbap with a big bowl of hot rice. I am not sure about the food that comes with it but the rice would work. Or travelling with reheatable sachets of rice, that's a thing in Australian supermarkets. It would I suppose not provide much nutrition but would fill the stomach until the cooking can start again.

You are giving me lots of good ideas!

Lavandula

Thanks for the heads up about fruit on Singapore Airlines. That is good to know. I think if I could I would probably always prefer to fly Singapore. Factoring that in!

And also a good thought about various bars (and thinking here, by extension, of baked goods). The only bread that seems not to cause problems is sourdough, but it's not her favourite (too chewy). I don't know if my MIL challenges the food rules she has been given, I think after that latest episode she would be a brave individual to do that. I wonder if she could make her own granola-type bars as a back-up? Again something I will ask her on Sunday.

Lavandula

I’ve used a couple of cheap ice packs in plastic bags before, and pointed them out to Security, who said no problem. Technically, they’re a gel or liquid when thawed, and are bigger than the size allowance for liquids, but were accepted. I didn’t haul them around for weeks, and they weren’t the kind in a hard plastic shell, heavy and costlier.

We flew Korean Air as part of the Vietnam/Cambodia trip, and I did keep the 20 g. tube of Gochujang paste that came with that meal.

OK, noted about the gel-type ice packs, that's what I had in my head. I would not cry if I had to lose one at the end of the trip.

I hear you about the gochujang, that is the stuff of cults!!

Lavandula

"Australia is quite strict about bringing in any food but European countries don’t seem to be concerned with packaged food"

You can actually bring most foods into Australia - we regularly bring in food items, and they've always been allowed. The big no-nos are fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and fresh meats and seafood. Pretty much everything else is fine.

You can frequently bring in and keep some of those restricted items, you just have to declare them. They (Border Force) just want to be the ones who make the call. And if you declare it, you avoid the fine. Many times I have declared food and when they work out what it is, they wave you on. And there are also bins between the gate and passport control where you can dump items that you think might not get through. It is much more humane than I used to believe. There is a TV show about it and I often watch, and so there is a lot of public education about what is acceptable and what is not OK.

Lavandula

Just popped in to say that I don’t think Singapore airlines business class ‘book the cook’ would really help as it just allows you to choose from a larger selection of meals, not customise them. Although I’m sure your MIL would enjoy the extra legroom and the staff would be as helpful with food as they could be:) Some of the book the cook options are plain-ish, but most have sauces of one type or another. Fresh fruit does seem to be on offer for desserts and breakfasts, so there hopefully is a good supply on board.

Thanks for answering, Ethel. I think it would be nice to try Singapore business class anyway :) , even if Book the Cook doesn't work out. I don't know how plain the food needs to be and if the airline's 'plain' is the same as what she needs. When you have additives in so many things (and by additives I mean for example preservatives), it is a bit hard to know what is OK and what is not OK, so something might look plain but actually not be OK at all (example: plain white bread is mostly not OK). Every time my MIL visits she is scrutinising labels and still sometimes misses something she has eaten, so realistically all we can do is minimize risks and try to cook as much from scratch as possible.

Lavandula

Lavandula, It's wonderful you're considering more travel with your MIL with all this going on. I too dealt with aging parents, it's a real adaptation, to say the least.

Singapore Airlines has always had excellent service, I'm sure they would go out of their way to help, & "Book the Cook" sounds great. But I would not trust Asian sauces to list all the ingredients. I wondered if she has had allergy testing? I'm just going through the process, seems to be blood tests. (So far.) I've carried meals on lots of flights - things like salads, rice crackers with boiled eggs, homemade hummus, none of which need refrigeration.

You might like to consider Scandinavia as a destination. There is always a GF & Vegan or vegetarian option in restaurants, lots of Celiac disease here. I'm sitting here eating my lunch I picked up at the salad bar in a grocery store. Every item was labeled with ingridents. (If you get stuck, use Google Translate & hover over food labels, it tells you in English what it contains.) And I believe the EU has very strict guidelines about food additives & labeling. Italy would be more iffy, I agree with Mr E, especially as there might be a language barrier. There's none in Scandinavia, (almost) everyone speaks fluent English.

I would not want to travel with her without medical insurance (not trip insurance, usually doesn't cover medical emergencies.) Hope this helps.... And of course SQ Business class would be wonderful!!!

"But I would not trust Asian sauces to list all the ingredients"

Singapore has a highly regulated food industry, and all ingredients are required to be listed, just as they would be anywhere else.

https://www.sfa.gov.sg/regulatory-standards-frameworks-guidelines/food-safety-regulatory-limits/regulatory-limits-for-food-additives

Not to mention that the meals it carries are catered by the major catering groups in the airport hubs. Coming from Singapore that is SATS, which also caters for many other airlines. And at least 50% of the menu is western dishes.

All that aside, the cabin crew aren't going to know what additives, flavourings, spices etc are in the meals.

Hi Sandancisco, thanks for your thoughts. Yes, MIL has had her diet examined by a dietician and a GP, and she keeps going back to them. She did an elimination diet and also colonoscopies, bloods, etc. I am not sure if it's IBS alone, it is also this one food additive. I always thought that if you were coeliac they recommended sourdough, but it's possible to have coeliac antibodies with other kinds of conditions, including fatty liver disease, so I am wondering if they are missing something like this.

Until she got sick with this we had no idea how widespread the additive was, it's in just about everything (sorry, I forget the number, I wouldn't know what the name was). My husband was cooking for her and for lunches when they went to the hospital to see my FIL she was taking boiled eggs and a certain brand of cracker that she knew to be OK, and also eating avocado with sourdough (which to me sounds like a pretty good, nutricious kind of diet). Breakfasts were homemade oat porridge with honey, and full-cream milk; dinners were things like chicken soup packed with whatever veggies she wanted. That got her back on her feet so my husband was able to leave and let them travel together back to their home town. They are still eating some of these things now that they are back home, so maybe we gave them some better habits.

I will take your advice about Scandinavia as a good destination. I don't think my in-laws have been there and I haven't been for 40 years. Trip insurance in Australia usually includes medical insurance and Australia has reciprocal health care with a number of other countries. But with aging parents (-in-law) who seem to need a little extra care, I will look into this more deeply.

Lavandula

Simon, I'm with you 200% I would say similar for all Asian countries short of any evidence to the contrary. Japan? Korea? Vietnam? Turkey? Israel? China?

"Trip insurance in Australia usually includes medical insurance and Australia has reciprocal health care with a number of other countries."

You are correct that in Australia travel insurance always includes medical coverage. One thing to watch for is that in your mother in law's case, IBS would be considered a preexisting condition and should be declared. It is quite possible the insurance company will exclude it, and any claims related to it (like medical care, cancelled flights etc) won't be covered.

The reciprocal care agreements for Australians that you refer to (which cover the UK and a fair chunk of Europe) will be helpful in her case and will allow her to be treated in those countries' public healthcare systems for free. Make sure you check exactly what is covered as it varies from country to country - some include medication costs, others don't.

and will allow her to be treated in those countries' public healthcare
systems for free.

Simon, you are assuming that someone would want to be treated in a European National Healthcare system. All of Europe is not created equal.

Where i live if its life saving you cant do much better and all are accepted, in plan or out of plan, insurance or no insurance. I once spent a night in a public hospital, out of plan, with almost a full time doctor and nurse, multiple IVs, tests, EKGs, monitors, etc. The bill was about 250€. Got it in the mail a month later.

Oh, if you are in plan it will be inexpensive by many standards, but not free.

But If its IBS, in plan or out of plan, take a number and we will see you in 6 months. And this isn't the worst in Europe on that count.

Fortunately a private doctor will cost USD45 to USD90 and the meds i would be surprised if they were USD25.

Lavandula, I just asked my Swedish H, he says those 'E numbers' are required for foods in the EU, (likely now on line here in Sweden, we just looked in the larder, don't see them labeled.) E numbers must be available in restaurants, but only if they're also allergens. Wow, fascinating, I learned something new. And the UK is also very strict. Now a radical thought - If you call an EU carrier like SAS, KLM or Lufthansa, could they guarantee meals without that E-number, given they have to abide by those laws here?? Food (ha) for thought. But I must add I would still take my own food on board, it's just not worth the risk. And BTW, Sourdough isn't GF, though 100% rye bread is GFF

E numbers are codes for food additives authorized by the European
Union (EU) for use, indicating they have passed safety assessments by
the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). These numbers (ranging from
E100 to E1599) classify additives by function, such as colours
(E100s), preservatives (E200s), and antioxidants (E300s), simplifying
ingredient identification across different languages.

I’m surprised e numbers are used in Australia as I thought they were a European designation for food additives. I think part of your problem is that this is not an international labelling system. Different jurisdictions will have different names and codes for these additives. E numbers are not allergens. They’re things like colourings, flavourings and preservatives. Some people do try to avoid them as they prefer none processed foods.

For Americans not familiar with the term, ‘e numbers’ has become synonymous with junk food in some contexts, eg ‘I’m not eating that it’s just a load of e numbers’.

Greetings, just adding a couple thoughts (and admiration for your loving support to help your in-laws remain healthy and active).
I must follow a strict gluten- free diet and am also vegan. But I eat eggs when traveling, an easy solution (but have to speak to the buffet chef, etc). It hasn't stopped me from traveling the world but it can be challenging. Sometimes I just end up with some boiled potatoes in a restaurant and that's fine. I do bring nut butter pouches and enough "snack bars" I know are safe scattered through my carryon suitcase in every nook and cranny.
But the issue of additives is really tricky. Scotland had the most impressive food allergen system I have ever seen! I had to sign a disclaimer before one meal- I was so impressed! Yet despite chickpea curry always being a safe go-to for me, after only two bites I became violently ill.
Was it something in the curry spice mix? I'll never know. So I have learned unless I am in a vegan/gf restaurant or shopped and cooked for myself I avoid sauces.
I think much will depend on her willingness to be a proactive participant for her health before and during the travel. I wonder if you can try a short trip together somewhere in Australia you've never been and see what works?
Self- catering sounds like a viable way forward, and some carefully vetted restaurants as a treat
Safe and healthy travels!

Since it is an E number which is the culprit, find out which one it is and check here.

https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/food-additives

Some E numbers are banned in the EU so it might not be an issue.

Bon Voyage? and Lin C, how interesting, yep the devil really is in the detail.

I am a dietitian and currently a nomad, so all my meals are when I am traveling. My husband and I both follow restrictive diets (both vegetarian, I am gluten free, he is oxalate free) so we are obviously no fun to eat with.
Europe does have great food labeling and better food laws than many other areas so self catering is super easy. I also go online and "shop" at the various markets before I go so I can translate the ingredients on packaged foods- or use the translate app on my phone in-store (although this can be time consuming and maybe irritate others!)
Surprisingly, food chains are usually safer than smaller restaurants as they usually have standardized menus you can review ahead of time and the recipes are standardized as well. Many chains also do food allergy training of their staff.
You can also make chef cards using this template https://www.foodallergy.org/resources/food-allergy-chef-cards
in whatever language you need and just write in what she can't eat.
But even if I can't eat everything I might want in Europe (we are in Krakow right now), seeing and smelling is very enjoyable as well.

"Health" food restaurants also may be a good choice but you still would need to be cautious. Most cities also have gluten free restaurants which may have a greater sensitivity to her needs (just search GF restaurants, tons always come up).

Bringing food on the airline really is the only choice because it is a long flight and you don't want to take risks at at the start. The airline contracts with food service companies so there is this long line of communication and personally I would not trust it. As others have noted, special meals sometimes are not that special. A note from a doctor (on medical stationary, their license number etc) stating that she needs to bring a specific food is helpful for taking food on board although there usually are no limitations. You can also buy food at the airport and bring it on the plane if freshness is a concern.
Finally, speaking as a dietitian not a traveler, GI symptoms are the most obvious but something else may be happening that she is not aware of. And then her anxiety in response, just triggers more. So if a GI symptom is happening, assume other unseen/unfelt issues might also be happening. Coeliac is not just a GI disorder.

Good luck, she can still travel, it just takes a bit more prep and patience.

Don't go. If you are going to travel and you are this sensitive you need to be 100% responsible for what you eat. There is no way any tour company could handle that.

For Americans not familiar with the term, ‘e numbers’ has become synonymous with junk food in some contexts, eg ‘I’m not eating that it’s just a load of e numbers’.

Helen, that’s interesting and helpful. I guess the American translation would be, “I’m not eating that. It’s just a bunch of chemicals, and stuff I can’t pronounce.”

Unfortunately, they would seem to be a preponderance of what is now on our super market shelves. I’m now making all my own sourdough bread (gluten is happily not an issue), and made a batch of my own crackers this morning - surprisingly easy, delicious, much cheaper, and I know what in them. Lavandula, I hope that solutions for your MIL are going to be relatively easy and fully workable.

For Americans not familiar with the term, ‘e numbers’ has become
synonymous with junk food in some contexts, eg ‘I’m not eating that
it’s just a load of e numbers’.

E500 is baking soda ... terrible junk food! Ban it all.