So, the seasonal allergy you have will to a large extent determine which foods you may experience an allergic reaction to. So the immune system can mistake the fruit and vegetable proteins for the plant pollens that caused the allergy. This cross-reactivity between birch pollen and specific foods is commonly known as as pollen-food or oral allergy syndrome (OAS). In general around 40% of hay-fever sufferers will experience some degree of pollen-food allergy syndrome. In the U.S. and UK birch tree pollen is the most common type involved in these cross reactions with around 50 to 75% of who are allergic to the pollen also showing OAS symptoms. Potato allergies are uncommon but can affect both adults and children. Itching and tingling of the mouth, lips, and throat. This condition is called "oral allergy syndrome" because it usually affects the mouth and throat. Please note though, it is possible to be allergic to just one or all the foods associated with a particular type of pollen. She noticed she was most reactive to these foods during the spring and fall, when her pollen allergies kicked in. Adults with seasonal allergic rhinitis have been reported in whom peeling of raw potatoes causes oculonasal symptoms, wheezing, and contact urticaria. Bananas were the trigger for Jessica Slattery, who lives in the suburbs of Denver. Having a graze this big…. We Insist: A Timeline Of Protest Music In 2020. She began to notice a reaction every time she ate one. People who have OAS are allergic to plant pollens. This was frustrating, she says, because several doctors could not explain what she had. These include; avocados, bananas, chestnuts, kiwi fruit and papaya. When Slattery described the reaction to her friends, they were skeptical. The allergic reactions — which are usually mild — can come on suddenly. The condition is called oral allergy syndrome. Dr Vincent St Aubyn Crump says oral allergy syndrome was increasing worldwide, and affects about 40 per cent of people with pollen allergy. He says he has about 500 patients who have it. The same may be true of processed foods; in canned, pasteurized or even frozen foods the protein may be deactivated. Take oral antihistamine medications to relieve mild symptoms. If so then it is possible you have oral allergy syndrome (OAS), an often mild allergic reaction to eating certain raw fruit, vegetables and nuts. Can you have an allergy to swimming pool water? The main allergen in birch pollen is Bet v 1 and this is similar to a large number of proteins found in plant foods. "Your immune system sees something as looking very similar to something it already reacts to.". As well as there being a potential for cross reactivity between pollens and foods there may also be a link between latex allergy and certain foods. "I'd feel it down my throat ... it's just a little tingle.". in a dessert, as jam, or canned, no symptoms occur. Another potential way to neutralize the allergy-causing proteins in fruits and vegetables is to peel them. People with a potato allergy may have a mild to severe allergic reaction after eating or coming into contact with potatoes. In very rare cases symptoms may present elsewhere on the body as part of a system-wide reaction. According to some estimates, oral symptoms afflict as many as 70% of people who are allergic to birch pollen. However, it should be regarded as for educational purposes only and not as medical fact. OAS is a form of a contact allergic reaction that occurs upon contact of the mouth and throat with raw fruits or vegetables. If you do have any medical concerns or symptoms we do not recommend you use this website as a substitute for visiting an allergist, licensed physician or doctor. Many fruits and vegetables contain proteins that are similar to these pollens. Adults with seasonal allergic rhinitis have been reported in whom peeling of raw potatoes causes oculonasal symptoms, wheezing, and contact urticaria. " Slattery recalls. The type of pollen you are allergic to will affect the range of fruits, vegetables or nuts you react to. Any reaction beyond the mouth should be taken seriously as it is an indicator of a risk of anaphylaxis. Oral allergy syndrome is an allergic reaction to certain proteins in fruit, vegetables and nuts. Major pollen types causing oral cross-reactivity reactions with foods, The other day I fell off my bike and scraped my leg up pretty badly. People with oral allergy syndrome generally won’t have a severe allergic reaction. But some seasonal allergy sufferers have it worse: They can develop allergic reactions to common fruits and vegetables. In this condition, certain fresh fruits and vegetables or nuts and spices can trigger an allergic reaction that causes the mouth to tingle or itch. Fruits are not on the list of top allergenic foods; most people have only heard of the top culprits such as eggs, fish and nuts. "It was like, 'OK, this is not in my head! This is the term given to an allergic condition in which people have symptoms of itching and swelling of the mouth, tongue and soft palate after eating raw fruit, vegetables and some nuts, but when the cooked food is eaten e.g. "I do think that this is one of the most underreported and underrecognized conditions, " says Dr. Carah Santos, an allergist at National Jewish Health in Denver. If you have a potato allergy… This may include a hives, vomiting or wheezing / breathing difficulties. People with oral allergy syndrome are typically advised to avoid the raw foods they react to. Generally speaking there are three main groups of culprits that…, Most people think of “allergy season” as being Spring or…, Over recent years a lot of attention has been given…, If, like me, you enjoy a good dollop of yogurt…, Spring time is here again. Whilst you do not actually have to suffer from any of the usual hayfever symptoms to have OAS, you do need to test positive to pollen. In the case of pollen and foods, the result of cross-reactivity is called oral allergy syndrome (OAS) also known as pollen fruit syndrome (PFS). Here are other tips on managing oral allergy syndrome from National Jewish Health: The experts at National Jewish Health advise that people call an allergist when OAS symptoms get worse or occur when eating nuts. "The first thing I'd feel is a little itch on my tongue," Slattery says. Things are warming up, the…. But Slattery knew it wasn't in her head. Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) What is oral allergy syndrome? The potato is a member of the nightshade plant family. People affected with oral allergy syndrome Oral allergy syndrome is nearly always preceded by hay fever. Generally the symptoms and severity of the reaction remains consistent with OAS. People with oral allergy syndrome are typically advised to avoid the raw foods they react to. Over time, she started reacting to other foods, including kiwi, pineapple and avocado. This is less likely to be the case in dried foods. Eat canned fruits or vegetables during your pollen season. It's a real thing,' " Slattery says. "They were, like, 'How could you possibly be allergic to a banana?' But there is a workaround: Peeling or cooking the fruits and vegetables before eating them can be helpful. Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is a type of food allergy classified by a cluster of allergic reactions in the mouth and throat in response to eating certain (usually fresh) fruits, nuts, and vegetables that typically develops in adults with hay fever. Allergy information, treatment and prevention. BACKGROUND: Potato allergy has been described rarely, generally in relation to the Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS). "We call it cross-reactivity," explains Santos. Foods that are more common causes of oral allergy syndrome include: apple, carrot, walnut, cherries, peach, potato, peanuts, plum, pear, fennel, wheat, honey, nectarine, spinach, hazelnuts, almonds, strawberries, brazil nuts, celery, apricots, melon, watermelon, cucumber, tomato, camomile tea, and spices (eg, cumin, coriander, parsley). Have you ever taken a bite out of an apple or nibbled a carrot only to feel a tingling and itching sensation in your mouth? "Oftentimes [people with OAS] can eat these foods because the cooking process can degrade the proteins that look like the pollen," says Santos. Bake or cook foods to degrade the protein and eliminate the cross-reaction. Tomatoes and cucumbers are technically fruits but more often included with vegetables. Also known as oral allergy syndrome, pollen-food allergy syndrome affects many people who have hay fever. The condition is actually quite common although many people affected by it have never even heard of OAS or PFS. However, in rare cases reactions can become severe with the potential of anaphylaxis. In general around 40% of hay-fever sufferers will experience some degree of pollen-food … Oral allergy syndrome is common, says Robert Eitches, MD, attending physician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The prevalence of oral allergy syndrome is unknown, but researchers who evaluated pollen-related food allergies in 2015 concluded: "Although epidemiologic data are scarce, there is no doubt that the increase in pollen allergies is going to be followed by an increase in the so-called pollen-related food allergies.". “In New Zealand we are seeing a lot of fruit allergy related to silver birch pollen allergy, and this seems to be more of a problem with introduced species. The table at the bottom of the page outlines some of the main pollen allergies and the foods they are likely to cross-react with. As the name suggests most of the symptoms of oral allergy syndrome are confined to the mouth. The information provided on this website is well researched and we believe it to be accurate at the time of writing. But there is a workaround: Peeling or cooking the fruits and vegetables before eating them can be helpful. I would go to the swimming pool two or three…, Generally speaking there are three main groups of culprits that release their pollen during different parts of the spring and…, Those of us of who have suffered from regular mouth ulcers will probably be familiar with the feeling of frustration…. On the other hand some sufferers of OAS are allergic to a wide range of different fruit and vegetables. However, they may become slightly worse during the pollen season. And people can react to foods they had been eating with no problem for most of their lives. Quite a few years ago I started swimming more seriously. Oral allergy syndrome usually develops in early adulthood and unlike some other food allergies, the symptoms remains mild. This is largely controlled by the degree of sensitivity to the particular allergen protein in the pollen and how similar it is to the protein found in the food. The standard tests to detect food allergies often come back negative for people with OAS. This is because the allergy causing proteins are often concentrated in the skin. This is because heating up the food causes the allergen proteins inside them to denature, or break down. These symptoms will occur within a matter of minutes of placing the raw vegetable, fruit or nut in the mouth.