Interesting article on Chitin

[WRXtranceformed]

This actually hits me pretty close to home because of an allergy I discovered after a couple of scary incidents. After having some serious respiratory reactions after eating soft shell crabs, I assumed that it was crab in general that I was allergic to. What was always surprising to me though was that I can eat shrimp, lobster, scallops, etc. without any problems at all. Usually when people are allergic to shellfish, they're allergic to the iodine in them, so I mused that it was the shell of the crab I was allergic to. A family friend sent us this article after we discussed the allergy at dinner the other night:

Research News from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Crab Shells and Fungi May Hold a Key to Asthma

Chitin is the stuff of crab shells and the carapaces of dust mites, the cell walls of lichens, and even the rigid innards of parasitic worms. It may also be the stuff that sets off asthma. New research has found that our immune systems possess an innate ability to recognize and eliminate chitin from our bodies, but when this potent response to the ubiquitous particles goes awry, it can cause an allergic response that could potentially lead to asthma. The new findings may help elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying asthma and provide new ways of preventing and possibly treating it.

Research published in the April 22, 2007 issue of Nature.

I've always been bummed because I love crabs but I haven't been able to eat them, but maybe I'll give crab meat a shot again when I go to the beach this summer! 8) I just need to stay away from the soft shell ones =P