Oral Allergy Syndrome (and how certain pollens cause food reactions)
Oral allergy syndrome is an IgE-mediated immune reaction to foods that contain similar proteins to seasonal pollens.
Symptoms include tingling, itching, and swelling of the mouth and throat after consuming these foods raw.
If you experience this reaction, it often can be managed by cooking (heat changes proteins) or rotating the allergen foods out of your diet during the respective pollen season.
SPRING
POLLEN: birch
almond
apple
apricot
carrot
celery
cherry
hazelnut
kiwi
parsley
peach
peanut
pear
plum
potato
soybean
EARLY SUMMER
POLLEN: timothy & orchard grass
orange
peach
peanut
potato
swiss chard
tomato
watermelon
LATE SUMMER
POLLEN: ragweed
banana
cantaloupe
cucumber
honeydew
potato
watermelon
zucchini
FALL
POLLEN: mugwort
anise
black pepper
bell pepper
broccoli
cabbage
caraway
cauliflower
celery
chard
coriander
fennel
garlic
mustard
onion
parsley
LATEX
*not pollen, but similar type of cross-reaction
avocado
banana
chestnut
kiwi
tomato
bell pepper
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References
Mansoor, D. K., & Sharma, H. P. (2011). Clinical Presentations of Food Allergy. The Pediatric Clinics of North America, 58(2), 315–326. https://doi-org.uws.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2011.02.008
Turnbull, J. L., Adams, H. N., & Gorard, D. A. (2015). Review article: the diagnosis and management of food allergy and food intolerances. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 41(1), 3–25. https://doi-org.uws.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/apt.12984
Oral allergy syndrome – pollens and cross-reacting foods. American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. (2019). Retrieved May 18, 2022, from https://www.aaaai.org/Aaaai/media/Media-Library-PDFs/Tools%20for%20the%20Public/Conditions%20Library/Library%20-%20Allergies/OAS-table_revised.pdf