Imagine a world where you could never dine away from home, wear makeup,
smell of sweet perfumes or eat a large percentage of food on store
shelves. According to allergists at the American College of Allergy,
Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting that is kicking
off today in Anaheim, Calif., that is the world for 2 to 3 percent of
individuals living with a spice allergy.
Spices are one of the most widely used products found in foods,
cosmetics and dental products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
does not regulate spices, meaning they often are not noted on food
labels, making spices possibly the most difficult allergen to identify
or avoid. According to rough estimates, spice allergy is responsible for
2 percent of food allergies. However it is underdiagnosed, particularly
due to the lack of reliable allergy skin tests or blood tests.
"While spice allergy seems to be rare, with the constantly increasing
use of spices in the American diet and a variety of cosmetics, we
anticipate more and more Americans will develop this allergy," said
allergist Sami Bahna, M.D., ACAAI past president. "Patients with spice
allergy often have to go through extreme measures to avoid the allergen.
This can lead to strict dietary avoidance, low quality of life and
sometimes malnutrition."
In his presentation, Dr. Bahna noted that due to the wide use of
spice in cosmetics, women are more likely to develop spice allergy.
Makeup, body oils, toothpaste and fragrances can all include one or more
spices. Those with birch pollen or mugwort (a traditional herbal
medicine used to relieve inflammatory conditions) allergy are also more
prone to spice allergy.
Common spice allergy triggers include cinnamon and garlic, but can
range from black pepper to vanilla. Several spice blends contain
anywhere from three to 18 spices, and the hotter the spice, the greater
the chance for allergy.
"Boiling, roasting, frying and other forms of applying heat to spices
may reduce allergy causing agents, but can also enhance them depending
on the spice," said Dr. Bahna. "Because of this allergy's complexity,
allergists often recommend a treatment plan that includes strict
avoidance which can be a major task."
An allergic reaction can be caused from breathing, eating or touching
spices. Symptoms range from mild sneezing to a life-threating allergic
reaction known as anaphylaxis. According to Dr. Bahna, spice allergy
should be suspected in individuals that have multiple reactions to
unrelated foods, or those that react to foods when commercially prepared
but not when cooked at home.
Even someone that is allergic to only one known spice can have a
reaction to several spice blends. According to Dr. Bahna's presentation,
there are several unique characteristics about spice blends, including:
- A Five-Spice blend has seven spices, yet Allspice has one
- The same blend name doesn't mean same components
- There are several types of Curry, each is a different blend of many spices
Those that suspect they may have a spice allergy should see a
board-certified allergist for proper diagnosis and a custom-made
management plan. Patients should carefully keep track of what foods and
other products trigger their allergy with MyNasalAllergyJournal.org.
Information about allergies and asthma can be found at AllergyAndAsthmaRelief.org. More news and research from the annual meeting, being held Nov. 8-13, 2012 can be followed via Twitter at #ACAAI.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).
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