JeLuDa Allergy

Basil – Allergy Resources

Basil is a plant in the Lamiaceae family which contains lots of edible herbs such as mint, thyme and sage.

Basil is rarely linked to food allergy, to date there are no recorded allergens for basil by the World Health Organization (WHO), because there have not been enough study into allergic effects from this food. If you are interested in what is needed by the WHO before they add an allergen to their allergen database you can check that out HERE.

I have put together some more comprehensive resources at http://www.allergyresources.co.uk/Basil.php

The allergy resources page for basil covers the key allergens, which allergic syndromes are linked to this allergy and other foods which are commonly cross reactive with basil.

There is also regularly updated links to useful websites specifically for basil allergies and the latest research papers on the topic.

If you have multiple allergies and are interested in how they are linked or want to find out more about food allergies outside the usual top 14 then you can follow me on Facebook or Twitter, where I share a food allergy card every day of the week.

Nutmeg – Allergy Resources

Nutmeg is a spice in the Myristicaceae family of plants. The spice is made from the brown seed kernel inside the fruit pit of the plant. The spice mace is made from the same plant, but is from the red or purple lacy covering on the pit. If allergic to one, you would likely be allergic to the other.

Nutmeg is NOT a nut, so does not have to be avoided if you are allergic to tree nuts or peanuts.

Nutmeg contains isoeugenol which is a chemical compound which can cause contact allergies – it is found in nutmeg oil which can be added to foods and cosmetics for flavour or fragrance.

I have put together some more comprehensive resources at http://www.allergyresources.co.uk/Nutmeg.php

The allergy resources page for nutmeg covers the key allergens, which allergic syndromes are linked to this allergy and other foods which are commonly cross reactive with nutmeg.

There is also regularly updated links to useful websites specifically for nutmeg allergies and the latest research papers on the topic.

Food Allergy: Non IgE Mediated Allergies

What are they?

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is an antibody present in the blood, usually in small concentrations. When triggered by an allergen (usually proteins in certain food) the body releases antibodies to fight what it thinks are offending cells. This leads to an immediate increase in histamine levels in the body and the classic allergic reactions (such as inflammation of the face and limbs and anaphylaxis). This reaction can be measured by blood tests as there will be an increase of IgE levels in the blood; these are known as IgE allergies.

In non-IgE allergies the person suffers with some of the same symptoms, but does not make IgE antibodies against the allergens. There can be a delayed reaction of up to 72 hours after ingestion of the offending food, which means that it is often hard to pinpoint which food is causing the reaction (especially as so much of what we eat nowadays is processed and contains so many ingredients).

If you want to read more on the topic and access all the additional resources check out my website at – www.allergyresources.co.uk/Non-IgE.php

The majority of my posts are no longer on WordPress – follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter if you don’t want to miss my monthly round-ups or allergy card updates!

Jemma

Fruit Allergies – Allergy Resources

Fruit allergies are relatively common, but there is a lot less information about them as they are not easily defined and categorised. Here we aim to provide more information on the different allergenic proteins which may be the cause of allergic reactions to fruits.

For the purposes of this blog post we are defining fruit as “… the product of a tree or plant which contains seeds and can be eaten. These are generally sweet and fleshy.”

Fruit allergies can generally be split into three categories.

1 – Fruits causing mild “Oral Allergy type” symptoms
2 – Fruits with seeds causing severe allergy symptoms due to cross reactivity
3 – Fruits which contain other panallergens and can cause allergic symptoms from mild to severe.

Read the rest of the blog post here http://www.allergyresources.co.uk/Fruit.php

Persimmon Fruit – Allergy Resources

Persimmon fruit (also called kaki fruit, persimon and sharon fruit) are in the Ebenaceae family of plants.

The main allergens in persimmons are profilin proteins, which are panallergens responsible for more severe allergic reactions in seemingly unrelated food.

Persimmon fruit also contain Bet v 1-like proteins. These proteins are similarly shaped to those ones in birch pollen and can cause oral allergy type symptoms.

I have put together some more comprehensive resources at http://www.allergyresources.co.uk/Persimmon.php

The allergy resources page for persimmon fruit covers the key allergens, which allergic syndromes are linked to this allergy and other foods which are commonly cross reactive with persimmons.

There is also regularly updated links to useful websites specifically for persimmon fruit allergies and the latest research papers on the topic.

Paraben Allergy

Parabens are a chemical preservative used in a multitude of different products, but most commonly associated with hair and skin products and medications.

They are very effective as antifungal and antibacterial agents to give products a longer shelf life, but unfortunately can act as an irritant in some people and can cause contact allergic reactions. Parabens are more commonly shown to irritate the skin after it has already been inflamed by another allergen. This is called the ‘Paraben Paradox’.

They have low toxicity compared to other preservatives and rarely cause allergic reactions from being ingested (in the form of medications).

Read the rest at ALLERGY RESOURCES.

The majority of my posts are no longer on WordPress – follow me on Facebook , Instagram or Twitter if you don’t want to miss my monthly round-ups or allergy card updates!

Jemma

Poplar Pollen – Allergy Resources

There is only one pollen allergen associated with poplar pollen, it is an allergen associated with airways. Poplars are in the same genus of trees as cottonwood.

Pop n 2 is a profilin protein, these are panallergens and can cause allergies across multiple species of plants and foods.

Propolis is the glue made by bees to build and repair their hives. In Europe the most common tree buds used by bees to make propolis are from the Poplar tree. Propolis is a mixture of tree waxes and resins, balsam, essential oils, pollen and other vitamins and minerals.

I have put together some more comprehensive resources at http://www.allergyresources.co.uk/Poplar.php

The allergy resources page for poplar pollen covers the key allergens, which allergic syndromes are linked to this allergy and other foods which are commonly cross reactive with poplar pollen.

There is also regularly updated links to useful websites specifically for poplar pollen allergies and the latest research papers on the topic.

Food Allergy: Oleosin Proteins

What are they?

Oleosin proteins are a lesser known allergenic protein found in plants. The proteins are involved in preventing the build up of oil molecules and may have a role in lipid store degredation during plant germination.

Oleosin proteins have been shown to maintain their shape after thermal processing, for example, studies have shown that roasted peanuts (in their shell) had more allergenic oleosin proteins than peanuts which were not heated.

If you want to read more on the topic and access all the additional resources check out my website at – www.allergyresources.co.uk/Oleosin.php

The majority of my posts are no longer on WordPress – follow me on Facebook , Instagram or Twitter if you don’t want to miss my monthly round-ups or allergy card updates!

Jemma

Celery-Mugwort-Spice Syndrome – Allergy Resources

Celery-Mugwort-Spice Syndrome is essentially a sub-category of Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome. The body mistakes the shape of a protein that it is already sensitive to (a plant pollen) to a similarly shaped protein in certain fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, and nuts.

The sensitising pollen is from the mugwort plant and allergic reactions are to foods that contain proteins which are similarly shaped.

In Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome the most common sensitising pollen is Bet v 1, which is an allergen from birch trees. It is also sometimes referred to as a PR-10 protein (where PR means pathogenesis related). In Celery-Mugwort-Spice Syndrome the sensitising allergen is a profilin protein called Art v 4, sometimes also called Bet v 2 proteins.

I have put together some more comprehensive resources at http://www.allergyresources.co.uk/CMS-Syndrome.php

The allergy resources page for Celery Mugwort Spice Syndrome covers the key allergens and which foods which are commonly cross reactive.

There is also regularly updated links to useful websites specifically for Celery Mugwort Spice Syndrome and the latest research papers on the topic.

Chives – Allergy Resources

Chives are in the Allium family, this group also contains onions, garlic and leek.

Patch testing using chives can cause false-positive reactions because of diallyl disulfide which is found in the garlic bulb. This chemical acts as an irritant on the skin. Diallyl disulfide is used as a garlic flavouring in food and garlic oil.

An allergy to chives after ingestion is more commonly linked to Non-IgE allergy than a true IgE allergy. It is important if you think you are allergic to complete a food diary to ensure you are not eliminating large groups of food unnecessarily. There are tips on how to make a Food Diary here.

I have put together some more comprehensive resources at http://www.allergyresources.co.uk/Chive.php

The allergy resources page for chives covers the key allergens, which allergic syndromes are linked to this allergy and other foods which are commonly cross reactive with chives.

There is also regularly updated links to useful websites specifically for chive allergies and the latest research papers on the topic.