Food allergies - most common allergies

Food allergies are among the most common allergies observed among the general population. Recent evidence presented during the Scientific Poster Session at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology confirms that there is no lack of food allergies being observed in clinical practices throughout the world.

More than a dozen presentations described allergic reactions to a wide range of common and exotic foods. These manifested in various ways, from mild rashes to severe and immediate anaphylactic reactions. There were reports of reactions to common foods, including:

• Kidney and white beans found in chili

• Beef and venison

• Coconut and walnut

• Mulberry fruit

• Corn, and

• Mustard.

Rare food allergies were reported by two patients enrolled in a study on the use of shiitake mushrooms (the second most commonly eaten mushroom in the world) for lowering cholesterol; they developed eosinophilia that was associated with other immunologic changes.

Rambutan (a malay word meaning "hair") is a fruit found in Thailand that can cause an acute allergic reaction.

The Naval Medical Center reported on an American sailor who developed hives and throat swelling while on duty in Thailand after ingesting a fruit called rambutan (the Malay word for "hair") (see photo). Interestingly, he had never eaten the fruit before and had probably cross-reacted with some other pollen.

One patient had used a capsaicin-containing (0.075%) analgesic cream for 4 years with no problems. However, during that time she did notice facial edema and other allergic signs whenever she ate peppers (Capsicum). It is likely that the repeated use of the cream sensitized her to the capsaicin that is naturally found in hot peppers.

Although these cases represent somewhat unique reactions to common foods, it should be remembered that we are all at risk for sensitization to some foods. Allergic reactions to foods may be more common than we think. source:AAAAI