Do you suffer from itchy mouth after eating raw fruits and vegetables?
With the arrival of the spring and summer seasons, are you experiencing breathing problems, sneeze attacks or teary and itchy eyes? Has your doctor told you that you are allergic to tree pollen, grass or weeds? And have you noticed that some fresh fruit, vegetables and tree nuts cause itchy mouth, scratchy throat, itchy ears and swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue and throat even when there is no pollen in the air? You may be suffering from oral allergy syndrome.
Oral allergy syndrome, also known as pollen-food syndrome is caused by cross-reactivity of allergens found in both pollen and raw fruits, vegetables, and some tree nuts. The immune system recognizes the pollen and similar proteins in the food and triggers an allergic response to it. People affected by oral allergy syndrome can usually eat the same fruits or vegetables in cooked form because the proteins are altered during the heating process, so that the immune system no longer recognizes the food.
Compiled by the ACAAI (American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology), the following is a list of known cross-reacting fruits, vegetables and pollens:
|
Birch pollen |
Ragweed pollen |
Grasses |
Mugwort pollen |
|
Almond, |
Bananas |
Celery |
Apples |
If you are experiencing a reaction beyond the mouth area, it may be a true allergy to a specific food and you are at risk of a potentially severe reaction. It is recommended that you consult with your doctor to determine whether an allergy test would be appropriate to confirm the diagnosis.