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Providing Food for Thought
For Lesley Rattue the arrival of her first child Todd was the most amazing yet emotional time of her life. Little did she know how the birth of this child was literally going to change her life and her career.
At the age of six months, Todd had a very serious allergic reaction. he started to swell up, his eyes were closed, he could not breathe properly and his nose was streaming. For Lesley the day of mass panic and hysteria had arrived. Todd was referred to an allergy specialist and he was tested for a whole host of things. It was then that the extent of his allergies were discovered - milk, eggs, potatoes, dogs and grass pollen.
Lesley was referred to a dietitian who gave her a list of food products and derivatives to avoid and a sample diet sheet and was told "as long as you can cook you are half way there". Fortunately for her she can cook. But it was hard work, terrified that even the smallest amount of a trace ingredient could quite literally have terrifying consequences.
Trying to purchase suitable food products from the supermarket was impossible, due to the 25% rule on food labelling. At present, food manufacturers are obliged only to state the main 75% of ingredients on their labeling, which is completely unacceptable for people with food allergies. Convenience food products that are suitable are often high in sugar and fat, loaded with additives, preservatives, colorants, and lacking in nutrition.
An astounding 10 million people in the UK suffer from various allergies, with the highest incidence rate affecting 5% of children with true food allergy. Lesley decided to try to make a difference to these peoples lives and developed a range of nutritious ready-made chilled foods that are free from dairy, egg, gluten, wheat, nuts and soya. However, to get the products to market she needed to raise funding and was fortunate enough to win a innovation grant from the Department of Trade and Industry. Lesley is now seven months into her project and hopes that her product range will soon become a reality.
"I am passionate about what am trying to do, people deserve better than second-rate food products which should not be part of their everyday staple food diet. I am determined to make a difference and this grant will enable me to make it happen."
Lesley's ambition in life is now to help others who find themselves in the same situation as she did - the world of the unknown.
"It can be frightening to start off with when you discover that yourself or your child have developed allergies, and often you do not know where to turn. Fortunately the Southampton area has a good support network of drop-in clinics thanks to the AAIR Charity, other areas are not so fortunate.".
IF you would like to know more about Lesley's project she can be contacted on (01256) 397581 or e-mail
lesleyrattye@aol.com. Alternatively write to: Allergy Free Foods Ltd, 3 Flowerpot Cottage, North Waltham, Hampshire RG25 2BB.
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