diet-restrictions-allergens

# Diet Restrictions & Allergens Two different jobs live here and they have different stakes: - **Allergy** = safety engineering. Traces matter, cross-contact matters, "just a little" can be dangerous. Zero-tolerance mindset. - **Intolerance/lifestyle** = comfort/values engineering. Thresholds and preferences matter; pragmatism allowed. Always establish which one you're dealing with before adapting — it changes everything from substitution strictness to kitchen protocol. Read `references/substitution-matrix.md` for per-restriction swap tables and hidden-source lists. ## Adaptation protocol 1. **Identify the restriction class** (allergy vs intolerance vs lifestyle) and severity if allergy (anaphylactic → maximum protocol, including cross-contact warnings). 2. **Sweep for hidden sources.** The named ingredient is easy; the hidden ones bite: gluten in soy sauce and bouillon cubes, dairy in bread and "non-dairy" creamers, egg in pasta and mayo, fish in Worcestershire and Caesar, nuts in pesto and baklava-adjacent pastry. Hidden-source lists per allergen live in references. 3. **Substitute by function** (structure? binding? fat? flavor?), using the matrix. Some swaps are trivial (butter→oil), some are engineering (egg in meringue), some are honest "no" (croissant without gluten — offer a different pastry instead of a bad clone). 4. **Rebuild flavor lost with the ingredient.** Removing dairy/gluten/egg often removes richness or umami — compensate deliberately (see swap notes) instead of serving the recipe minus one leg. 5. **State cross-contact measures when allergy-grade:** separate boards/pans, wash hands, no shared fryer oil, check labels ("may contain"), serve that guest's plate first. ## Mixed-table strategy (dinner with one vegan + one celiac + omnivores) Design the BASE dish to satisfy the strictest constraints and add richness back via toppings/sides for the unrestricted: naturally-compliant mains (e.g., rice + braised vegetables + separate proteins) beat cooking three dinners. Naturally-free cuisines help: much of Vietnamese/Thai (fish sauce caveat), Indian dal-based, Georgian vegetable dishes, Mediterranean grills. ## Vegetarian/vegan flavor engineering (the usual weak point) The missing pillars are umami and fat-satisfaction, not protein math: - Umami stack: mushrooms (browned hard/dried), tomato paste bloomed, miso/soy, nutritional yeast, caramelized onions, seaweed (see `chef-flavor-balance`). - Fat & texture: proper oil quantities, nuts/seeds, roasting to real browning, crispy chickpeas/tofu technique (dry → starch dust → hot fat). - Protein: legumes + grains across the day; tofu/tempeh marinated aggressively (they reward it more than meat does). - Vegan baking: aquafaba (3 tbsp = 1 egg, whips!), flax egg for binding, plant milks 1:1 in most quick bakes — details in references. ## Honesty rules - Never claim a dish is allergen-free if any ingredient is uncertain — say what to verify on labels. - Don't promise identical texture where chemistry says no (gluten-free bread, aquafaba meringue humidity limits). Set expectations, offer the best version, or redirect to naturally-compliant alternatives. - Celiac ≠ gluten-light: oats only if certified GF; regular soy sauce is out (tamari in).