What are food allergens, Let’s recall some common allergens and look at more exotic ones!
Allergies – something unpleasant, but unfortunately common in our daily lives. They are a hypersensitive response of the immune system to substances that either enter the body or are in contact with it. In the presence of an allergy, the immune system reacts by producing antibodies that identify an allergen as harmful. In reality, it may be a harmless substance, but the immune system detects it as an invader. Upon contact with the allergen, the reaction of the immune system can cause inflammation of the skin, sinuses, respiratory tract, digestive system and others.
Allergic symptoms can be both mild and severe. This depends on the individual and can range from minor irritation to anaphylaxis – a severe, life-threatening reaction. Substances that cause an allergic reaction are called allergens and can be found in food and beverages, in the environment, in cosmetics used in households and others. Today we will recall the more common allergens and look at others that most of us do not suspect would cause allergic reactions. But before that, let’s take a brief look at some of the allergic symptoms.
Table of Contents
Allergic symptoms
Hay fever, or also called allergic rhinitis, can be manifested by sneezing, itching of the eyes, nose or palate, stuffy nose, red or swollen eyes. Food allergies can lead to tingling in the mouth, swelling of the lips, tongue, face or throat, rashes, anaphylaxis and more. Anaphylaxis can also be seen in insect allergies. More common are symptoms such as swelling at the site of the sting, itching (partial or whole body), cough, shortness of breath and others. Itching, swelling of the face, wheezing, fever, rash, anaphylaxis – such manifestations occur in drug allergy.
Milk
Milk is among the list of foods to which the most common allergies are observed. No more than 5% of children and 1% of adults are allergic to milk proteins in cow’s milk. In most cases, when someone finds out that there is an allergy to milk proteins in the milk, there is panic and confusion, because this is a product often present on the table, and in the food industry.
This requires familiarization with the dairy alternative and careful reading of food labels. We talked more about this in the article “Milk substitutes”, where we give an alternative if the milk is used as a source of protein or vitamin D and offer recipes for homemade nut milk.
Honey
Honey is a widely consumed product and a potential allergen. Allergic reactions can occur in both mild and extremely severe – anaphylaxis. People who are allergic to pollen should be extremely careful about consuming honey. This is because it contains a large number of components derived from bees, including flower nectar and pollen adhering to the insect.
An allergy to a cross-reaction with components of bee venom is also possible, and the origin of the bees may also be important. Some food supplements contain bee pollen and royal jelly and usually the label does not indicate the possibility of them provoking allergic reactions, which also requires attention from the consumer. On the other hand, people allergic to bee or wasp stings do not always show signs of allergy to honey, and vice versa.
Eggs
Eggs are one of the most important allergens in childhood nutrition and allergies to them are the second most common among infants and young children after allergies to cow’s milk. A meta-analysis (1) estimates that egg allergy affects between 0.5 and 2.5% of young children. Egg allergy can be defined as an adverse immune reaction caused by egg proteins and includes allergy mediated by IgE antibodies as well as other allergic syndromes (atopic dermatitis and eosinophilic esophagitis).
The main proteins that cause allergic reactions are ovomucoid, ovalbumin, ovotransferrin and lysozyme. The main allergen is ovoalbumin and occupies 50% of the egg white. Although most people are allergic to protein, there are those who are allergic to egg yolk. If you have a food allergy to eggs, learn how you can replace them in some recipes.
Soybeans
Soybeans are included in the list of the 8 most common food allergens, but the question of how much soy could provoke an allergic reaction remains controversial. The first report characterizing a soy allergy appeared in 1934. At least 16 soy proteins are known to be allergenic.
A real pleasure for the senses – a bar of chocolate .
.. Real chocolate, in the context of cocoa beans, rarely causes food allergies. You may be wondering why then quite a few people complain of food allergies to chocolate? Because the cause of an allergic reaction is not always cocoa. Many people choose chocolates in which, in addition to cocoa, there are various food additives, such as eggs, milk, sugar and soy, and you can also find peanut, hazelnut and walnut powder, as well as almonds, vanilla, rice filling – which undoubtedly may be the cause of allergies.
If you are allergic to chocolate with the above additives, try consuming raw cocoa, raw fermented and dried cocoa beans, cocoa paste. In this way you will enjoy a number of health benefits, including digestive and cardiovascular, improved mood and help with depression due to the presence of theobromine and others.
Nuts
Nuts have been a widely consumed food and part of the diet for millennia. They are present in the daily menu of almost 40% of Americans. Easily accessible and comfortable in a hectic lifestyle, with valuable health benefits. They are an excellent source of vitamin E and magnesium, folate, vitamin K, lutein and zeaxanthin, zinc, selenium, copper, protein and fat. But a nut allergy can lead to severe allergic symptoms, including anaphylaxis.
This includes almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and others, and the category “food allergies to nuts” includes peanuts, although technically they belong to legumes. Most people with such an allergy react after consuming a really small amount of nuts, sometimes only 1 nut is needed. Some people are so sensitive that they may experience allergic reactions, even if they are next to another person eating peanuts, for example. In the presence of an allergy to nuts, it is mandatory to strictly monitor the food, check the labels on the packaging and find out how the nuts can be labeled.
With caution to approach biscuits, cakes, pastes, ice cream, muesli and other cereals, cereal bars, salad dressing. Some people with a nut allergy may also react to different legumes – green beans, soybeans, peas, as these foods contain peanut allergens.
Vegetables that cause itching?
The allergy, which manifests itself as skin rashes, is the result of elevated IgE antibodies (immunoglobulin E) and histamine levels in the skin. If you suffer from this, it is a good idea to use household gloves while cooking and in case you can not avoid contact with vegetables that cause problems. These include onions, garlic, carrots, celery and more. Skin irritation caused by carrots occurs more often after eating them, but it is possible to touch them. In people with allergies to wet histamine and other chemicals can be released into the bloodstream and cause irritated skin, rashes, sweating and runny nose.
Tomatoes, although technically classified as a fruit, today it is customary to cook vegetables and also fall into the group of those that can cause a rash. In particular, it is less common in them and is the result of contact with their leaves. Allergy to celery most often occurs in contact with the stem, but cases with roots and leaves are not excluded. Manifestations can be both mild and severe, leading to anaphylactic shock.
Eggplant – help against nicotine cravings?
There are claims on the Internet that eggplants are effective against the so-called. nicotine cravings, due to the nicotinic acid contained in vegetables, helping to reduce the discomfort that invariably follows after quitting smoking. There are also opinions that the daily consumption of eggplant can successfully replace the use of patches used to quit smoking.
The enslavement of this statement can lead to excessive consumption of eggplant, which in turn can be followed by allergy-like reactions, but only after a while. Now let’s clarify exactly how much nicotine is contained in eggplants and why in practice it is hard to believe that they could have any significant impact on dealing with nicotine hunger. 10 g of eggplant contains 1 µg (microgram) of nicotine. Since a cigarette usually contains 1 mg (milligram), it actually means that one has to eat 10 kg of eggplant to take this amount.
Due to their content of histamines, overeating with eggplant can provoke food poisoning, the symptoms of which are reminiscent of allergic reactions.
Spices – the soul of a delicious meal
Spices are the soul of the dish and are widely used. However, they contain allergens and are responsible for about 2% of food allergies. Unfortunately, allergy to a spice often remains undiagnosed. If proven, the appropriate spice should be avoided, which can be difficult due to incomplete or unclear labeling. It is believed that this allergy affects women more often due to the increased use of cosmetics, as well as cooks due to their daily use.
Allergies are usually caused by cinnamon and garlic, but can actually be the result of a wide range of spices, starting with black pepper and vanilla. The more spicy a spice is, the greater the risk of allergies.
Birch pollen – apple
There is a relationship between birch pollen allergy and apple consumption – people who are sensitive to pollen can also react to apples, even the syndrome is known as “birch-apple syndrome” (birch – birch, apple – apple). There are several proteins from apples that cause allergic reactions. Among them is an isolated allergen with an approximate mass of 60 kDa, which has a cross-reaction with a large allergen typical of pollen, including birch pollen. This allergen is also found in peanuts and celery.
Coffee allergy?
Coffee allergy should not be confused with sensitivity to coffee and caffeine, and in fact this may complicate real judgment. People who overdose on caffeine can experience unpleasant symptoms and be confused that they have allergies. Although the allergy to drinking coffee is very rare, it does exist. Respiratory allergy type 1 is much more common when using green coffee of the types Coffee arabica, Coffee canephora (robusta) and Coffee liberica. People working in coffee plantations are also affected when coffee beans emit pollen.
Gelatin?
Allergy to gelatin is relatively rare, but if it is present, its avoidance may require more attention and careful consideration in the composition of products, as it is widely used not only in the food but also in the pharmaceutical industry. Gelatin is part of various serums, whose speed and duration of injection is extremely slow. It is often used in the manufacture of various vaccines. Often a person who is allergic to meat reacts to gelatin. Gelatin can be found on the packaging under other names, such as: Collagen Hydrolysate, Denatured Collagen, Hydrolysed Collagen.
Pets
Guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, dogs, cats, and even mice and rats can all provoke severe itching, urticaria, or rhinoconjunctivitis. Symptoms that occur in 10-15% of people who start a new cohabitation with them. Allergic reactions to pets have been known for at least a century. High interest has provoked the link between pets and the response of the human immune system, and allergists, epidemiologists and immune disease specialists have spent years trying to better understand how exposure to pets allergens leads to the production of IgE antibodies and a subsequent allergic reaction.
Pet allergies can be a very emotionally sensitive topic, as animals are considered a member of the family. And although information about low-allergenic or hypoallergenic pets can be found on the Internet, there is little scientific evidence to support this thesis.
Medicines
It is no surprise to anyone that an allergic reaction could be provoked by medication. Everyone reacts differently to medications – one may have a mild rash, while another may not have any side effects. Does this mean, however, that the one with the rash is allergic to the drug? All medications can cause side effects, but only 5-10% of the reactions are allergic.
Whether they are allergic or not, side effects to medications can range from mild to life-threatening, so it is important if you take medication, to follow the doctor’s prescription, and the latter to be notified of any anxiety situations.
Decorative cosmetics
Have you ever wondered how many and what cosmetic products you use every day? And are you interested in their composition? They are often the cause of allergic reactions and side effects on health, and do not necessarily appear immediately. The topic is serious and it is worth everyone to make an informed choice, to get acquainted with the labels of the products and to look for ones with as natural ingredients as possible. According to a study by Bionsen, the average woman usually puts on about 515 different synthetic chemicals each day, in the form of various cosmetics.
For example, in standard shampoos there are about 15 chemicals, in eye shadows – 26, in lipstick – 33, in deodorants – 15, and in perfumes they can reach 250. The more worrying ingredients in cosmetic products are: Polyethylene terephthalate, Ethylparabens, Methylparaben, Polymenthyl methacrylate, Phthalates, Isopropyl Myristate, Benzaldehyde and others. Girls under the age of 25 often use cosmetics designed for women over the age of 40, exposing their skin to unnecessary damage by treating it with inappropriate products. It is easy to conclude that the daily use of inappropriate cosmetics can increase the risk to women’s health due to the content of potentially harmful chemicals.
Of all cosmetic products, lipstick is the most allergenic, and the more stable and bright its color, the higher its content of aggressive dyes. Not to be overlooked is the content of preservatives, which significantly increase the shelf life and at the same time the risk of allergic reactions. Dermatologists advise the use of hypoallergenic cosmetics, for which the risk of allergy is reduced to 0.1-0.3%, as opposed to the usual, where the percentages are 3. Increasingly widespread and companies relying on cosmetics from natural ingredients.
Here are some more exotic allergens
Allergy to semen!
Semen allergy is a rare phenomenon and reactions can range from mild to fatal anaphylaxis. The first described case of such an allergy was in 1967 by B. N. Halpern, T. Ky and B. Robert (Clinical and immunological study of an exceptional case of reaginic type sensitization to human seminal fluid). In English, it can be found as “semen allergy” or “seminal plasma hypersensitivity” – this is a rare IgE-mediated allergic reaction to proteins found in semen, which mainly affects women.
Common symptoms include redness, sweating, pain, rash, and a burning sensation in the vagina, which usually begin between 10-30 minutes after contact with semen. However, symptoms can also occur in other parts of the body, such as the skin or mouth. Treatment varies according to the severity of the reactions, with abstinence, condom use or immunotherapy, which can be done subcutaneously or intravaginally with semen.
Ladybugs
To overcome the problem of aphids, American farmers decided to introduce a species of Asian ladybugs to destroy harmful insects. But apart from them, the colorful ladybugs attacked their homes and caused serious allergies in their inhabitants. How can we get rid of them? The answer is simple – all cracks in the house should be closed, but insecticides should not be used, because dead ladybugs attract cockroaches, which in turn also turn out to be allergenic agents.
Have you heard of the Arabic gum?
It is a vegetable resin (gum arabic), which is obtained by cutting some trees and hardens when left in the air. It is often part of various delicacies for children – fruit ice cream, candy and chewing gum, as well as ink for printers and some fabrics. Arabic gum has been shown to cause allergies, and is even thought to cause asthma in people working in printing houses.
A real delicacy of French cuisine – snails .
If you like to experiment with your food, demonstrating your culinary skills, and at the same time you are allergic to house dust, do not forget to exclude snails from your menu. This is necessary because there is a cross-reaction between an allergy to house dust mites and the consumption of snails.
Ambrosia
Pollen, inadvertently transported from America to Europe during World War II, is an extremely strong allergenic agent with pronounced manifestations from August to September. Ambrosia is a plant that reproduces with lightning speed and finds ideal soil for development everywhere – it is found along the road, in desolate fields and lands, as well as around construction sites.
Some useful tips .
- Avoid foods that cause allergies;
- Always read the labels on the packaging;
- When eating out, find out about the ingredients of the food on offer;
- Be prepared for emergencies, because very often anaphylactic reactions can be life-threatening.
Sources used :
- The prevalence of food allergy: a meta-analysis. Rona RJ, Keil T, Summers C, Gislason D, Zuidmeer L, Sodergren E, Sigurdardottir ST, Lindner T, Goldhahn K, Dahlstrom J, McBride D, Madsen C
- Mayoclinic.org
- Allergy to honey: relation to pollen and honey bee allergy, Helbing A, Peter C, Berchtold E, Bogdanov S, Müller U
- Anaphylaxis caused by honey: a case report, Aguiar R, Duarte FC, Mendes A, Bartolome B, Barbosa MP
- Nut Allergy, Dr Jan Sambrook
- Sugar and spice and everything not so nice: Spice allergy affects foodies and cosmetic users alike, American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
