Healthy Cooking Columns
Oral Allergy Syndrome
Oral allergy syndrome is a less threatening allergic condition most commonly associated with specific fruits and vegetables, like kiwi, apples, cherries, celery, tomatoes, and green peppers. The symptoms are not experienced with cooked foods, only those that are raw. The allergic reaction is most often tingling and/or itching of the mouth, nose, and throat. Oral allergy syndrome is an IgE-mediated immune response.1
Oral allergy syndrome does not typically appear in young children and starts appearing more commonly in older children, teens, and young adults. Often people with oral allergy syndrome can eat certain fruits and vegetables for years without issues. Interestingly, people with this syndrome often have allergies to birch, ragweed, or grass pollens, which is why it is often called “pollen-food syndrome” and is believed to be caused by cross-reactions with pollens in raw fruits, vegetables, and some tree nuts.
Foods Associated with Oral Allergy Syndrome
| Birch Pollen | Grass Pollen | Ragweed Pollen |
| Apple Almond Carrot Celery Cherry Hazelnut Kiwi Peach Pear Plum |
Celery Melons Oranges Peaches Tomatoes |
Banana Cucumber Melons Sunflower Seeds Zucchini |
1. Webber, CM and England, RW. Oral Allergy syndrome: a clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic challenge. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2010; 104:101-108.
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