Enteral Feeding Challenges in a Soy Allergic Patient

Patients with food allergy can have life threatening and even fatal reactions on ingestion or even just contact with foods to which they are allergic. Because of this, patients are urged to carry epinephrine auto-injectors, and to advise food providers of their allergy. We report a patient with peanut and soy allergy who had anoxic encephalopathy as a result of an anaphylactic reaction to accidental peanut protein ingestion. Subsequent management was complicated by concurrent soy allergy, an important component of most tube feeding formulas in the intensive care unit. The implications for tube feeding are discussed.