
Common food allergens and cross-reactivity
Author(s) -
Olivia L. Francis,
Kathleen Y. Wang,
Edwin Kim,
Timothy P. Moran
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of food allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2689-0275
pISSN - 2689-0267
DOI - 10.2500/jfa.2020.2.200020
Subject(s) - cross reactivity , ingestion , food allergens , sensitization , food allergy , food science , allergy , fish <actinopterygii> , reactivity (psychology) , shellfish , heat stability , biology , medicine , chemistry , cross reactions , immunology , biochemistry , aquatic animal , pathology , fishery , materials science , alternative medicine , antibody , composite material
The most clinically relevant food allergens are cow’s milk, hen’s egg, peanut, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, and seeds. Heat-stable food allergens have molecular characteristics that enhance protein stability and gastrointestinal absorption and thus are more likely to cause systemic reactions on ingestion. In contrast, heat-labile food allergens lack these characteristics and do not typically elicit reactions if sufficiently altered by heat or acid. Immunologic cross-sensitization between food allergens is more common than clinical cross-reactivity. However, certain groups of food allergens, such as tree nuts, fish, and shellfish, are associated with high rates of clinical cross-reactivity. Knowing the rates of clinical cross-reactivity is important when providing guidance to patients with food allergy and families on what foods can be safely added to the diet and what foods should be avoided.