Title is what it seems, I have an anaphylactic allergy to brewers yeast, which is primarily used in the fermentation of beer, but also some ingredients like bean paste/miso. I had a reaction recently that landed me in the hospital where I live (Korea), and the worst part is that I still didn’t knowingly eat it, so it might have been due to cross-contamination.
My family is visiting me very soon and after I show them around Seoul, they want to visit Japan for a bit. I am excited but reasonably scared of what could happen. The last time I visited japan was years ago and before I developed this allergy. I’m wanting a bit of advice on Japanese cuisine and how I can make sure I don’t end up with a medical emergency during this 10 day excursion. Back in 2020 I had a Japanese ramen that didn’t state it was a miso broth, but I had a reaction regardless.
I am already planning on bringing a card that explains my allergy in Japanese to miso. Before anyone says it, yes I’m aware that it won’t be taken super seriously, I live in Korea where “picky eaters” get scoffed at, but it’s good to at least take the precaution.
Further though, is there any sound advice someone can give me to best avoid miso while eating out? Dishes that unexpectedly contain it? Restaurants that wouldn’t typically have it on the menu at all so I can limit the risk of cross-contamination? I know the simple answer is to just eat western food, but I’ll have 4 other people with me wanting to eat local, and of course I’d like to enjoy some dishes as well.
Thank you in advance for any advice offered.
20 comments
My suggestion may be the least practical, but it is what I would do.
Quick preface – none of my allergies are anaphylactic so I haven’t had to do this personally.
I would simply not eat out with them. Sure I would **join them**, and enjoy drinks with them, but I would *not eat* anything that was prepared in a place where you can’t be entirely sure that you won’t end up in a hospital.
But for the record, I am okay not eating when other people do. I don’t feel the social pressure to stuff my face just because everybody else is. If somebody insists that something is delicious, I have no qualms declining offers if I know that I will not enjoy the thing.
I hope that you find a comfortable solution that keeps you out of the hospital, and entertains your visitors 🙂
Someone previously mentioned a gluten allergy on here. They pre-planned with a tour guide the places they could eat and the tour guide scouted ahead. They said that had they not done that, a lot of places would have turned them away as it’s harder to accommodate.
Maybe it’s worth looking for someone who can scout ahead, try and book as much as possible with an email explanation and request for accommodation of a major allergy.
Edit: this post might also be useful
https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/xo4tab/my_partner_is_allergic_to_a_lot_of_japanese/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=2
Does this allergy also apply to soy sauce? If so… Yikes.
You mention that you don’t think your allergy will be taken super seriously. In 2019, I traveled to Japan with a Celiac friend. He had a card advising of his wheat allergy and carried his own gluten-free soy sauce with him. We had two types of experiences: restaurants that would just not serve him (out of caution), and restaurants whose chefs would come out to go through the menu with him. No in between.
So I don’t think it’s a guarantee that they won’t treat your miso allergy seriously.
Carry some medicine against allergy with you
I think preparation is key! If you bring an allergy card explaining what you can and cannot eat, most restaurants will definitely take it seriously!
Can you look up beforehand what types of food you are mostly likely able to consume? Always double check ofcourse.
For example:
Sushi,
Shabu Shabu (water based) ,
Yakiniku/bbq (non marinated meats),
Salt based yakitori,
Salad places,
Western food places,
Takoyaki (without takoyaki sauce perhaps?),
Tempura,
Tonkatsu,
Kushikatsu,
Onigiris,
Other types of cuisines like Vietnamese cuisine or Thai cuisine, Chinese cuisine (more likely not to use miso but will use soy sauce)
Hope this helps!
Miso is usually made from koji. It’s a yeast but I think different from brewers yeast.
If you are allergic to koji then you probably should avoid a lot of Japanese food. I think koji is used in many things including soy sauce and sake. Then all those items are used in many other dishes.
You probably should just eat western food there.
Is your allergy only to miso or also to soy sauce and other koji made products which I think could also include sake?
If you are sensitive to even cross-contamination from miso / soy sauce / cooking wine it seems extremely difficult to eat Japanese food – miso soup, soy sauce / soy based dips and marinades, basically anything that could want salt or umami would be at risk.
So….are you allergic to yeast (Saccharomyces) or to Koji (Aspergillus)? Because the former is used in beer, bread and all yeasted doughs and is relatively easy to avoid in Japan. Miso is made with Aspergillus, and so is sake, soy sauce, rice vinegar etc. and will be almost impossible to avoid unless you skip Japanese restaurants completely.
Anecdotal evidence from our recently trip with a family member with egg allergies (though not anaphylactic): we ordered a smoked salmon sandwich cause 1) why’d a salmon sandwich have eggs 2) English menu said nothing about eggs in salmon sandwich. Sandwich arrives, there’s a thick layer of a (delicious!) potato egg salad.
At another (bigger, chain) restaurant, we were handed a massive menu/ingredients book that listed egg, nuts, soy, etc as allergies, though I don’t remember seeing “miso” and I presume the onus was on the diner to … not order the wrong thing.
To me, this sounds like a huge undertaking that can not be wholly dealt with and may leave you in a hospital in a foreign country, especially because epipen isn’t an easy solution for you. I’d just send the family off at Incheon airport and give them all big hugs.
Gluten Free T’s will accommodate your allergies. They offer a 800¥ surcharge to cook in specific pans, etc. to avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen.
I have had very little luck with ANY place holding true to Accomodations with the exception of above. Even then, however, the neighboring table ordered.
With that being said, the neighboring table stated “vegan only” and proceeded to order “octopus balls”/Takoyaki. The server did not warn them or suggest this would violate their initial statement.
They were brought the Takoyaki —
The culture here wants to do “correct” but when a customer asks for something the staff are going to appeal as best they can. If you contradict yourself, they won’t argue it point it out.
I was in ICU with anaphylaxis last year. If I were you, I wouldn’t go to Japan: You don’t conclusively know what your allergy is and you can’t trust, even if you did, that restaurants would know how to cater to you. It’s just too risky.
I don’t have any advice to add to what has been said already but I can definitely empathize. I am epi allergic to shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts which includes coconut. I’m also gluten and MSG sensitive. I’m tons of fun at parties and while traveling. Lol If it were me I’d have to eat a bowl of rice and call it good. I’ve spent time in Japan pre allergies and it was wonderful food wise. I hope you figure something out.
I think it might be best to say you are allergic to soy in general, as that might be better understood than brewers yeast and stop more cross contamination. Soy is an allergen that’s always labeled. Allergy awareness is getting better in Japan and more and more food had better labeling. I would also stick to chain restaurants instead of local ones as they get an allergy menu from corporate that will tell you what’s in it.
Wife has shrimp allergy and we made it through Japan easily. Although I know shrimp is probably less used than miso!
We just had cards printed. And for vending machine restaurants, we’d just go ask an employee to help. Everyone was super accommodating.
I’ve got some difficult allergies. I’m hiring this company to help during my trip: [https://glutenfreetoursjapan.com.au/contact-us](https://glutenfreetoursjapan.com.au/contact-us)
The price of safety. Totally worth it.
*edit: It’s not just for tours. You can also book them to just communicate remotely with any place you’d like to eat at during your stay. They can help find safe restaurants, and also investigate the ones you find and want to try.
I’d imagine you’ve been eating lots of soy sauce in Korea – impossible to avoid unless you don’t eat any Korean food. The recent episode could’ve been something that contaminated the food that you or the restaurant was not aware of…
That said, do you actually know miso is no good or are you just guessing? Miso is used in a lot of stuff, preparing pickles, for example. Can you eat pickles?
That is honestly so rough. I have a lot of food allergies but non life threatening. One thing i’ll say is (and not to try and scare you), the last country i would want to need an ambulance for life or death situations in is Japan. I’ve had to take 3 ambulances in my time here. I’m actually leaving the country soon due to how ass the healthcare system is.
I think you should go for sure, it’s a fun place. But really so much food has it in and if you’re not sure what your deadly allergy is exactly too, take no risks. I get you want to join in everyones experience of Japan, but it’ll be an awful experience for everyone if you die cause your sushi was brushed with soy.
I also personally from experience do not trust restaurants to get my allergies right. I’ve had many a rough time after they didnt realise “dairy” included butter, or just didnt remove anything. Basically anything outside the routine they have will spook them and brains cant compute, dont you pay the price for that
Never heard of a yeast allergy! Does this even affect you in very filtered styles that would have next to no yeast cells left in flocculation? I assume if so then you also couldn’t drink anything else alcoholic except distilled spirits and spirit based liqueurs! In which case not only watch out for miso but anything containing sake or wine too.
Stay at home