Understanding Oral Allergy Syndrome | Covenant Allergy and Asthma

When we think about food allergies, it’s natural to think about the top eight offenders. Very few of us think about the fact that fruits and vegetables could cause an allergic reaction as well. This September, as we take part in National “Fruit and Veggies—More Matters Month,” Covenant Allergy and Asthma wants to help you better understand oral allergy syndrome (OAS).

OAS is also known as pollen-food allergy syndrome. This syndrome occurs when your immune system is unable to differentiate between proteins in certain foods and pollen. Symptoms typically include itching, tingling, and/or swelling, and they mostly affect the mouth, lips, and throat. According to the ACAAI, the onset of oral allergy syndrome is most common among older children, teens, and young adults who have been eating the particular fruits or vegetables for years without previous adverse reactions.

Oral allergy syndrome is particularly interesting for a few reasons. First, it’s very common, yet many people still have no idea that they have OAS. That’s because a person may know they don’t seem to tolerate specific fruits and vegetables, but they may not make the connection between those food reactions and their allergies to pollen. People often don’t discover that they have OAS until their allergy testing comes back negative for foods but positive for a pollen like birch, grass, or ragweed.

Depending upon your pollen allergies, different foods are more likely to cause a reaction. For instance, if you’re allergic to birch pollen, foods that might trigger OAS include: almonds, apples, apricots, carrots, coriander, celery, cherries, fennel, hazelnuts, kiwi, nectarines, parsnips, peaches, pears, peppers, and plums. Different fruits and vegetables are prone to causing a reaction for other pollen allergies.

In most cases, you simply need to avoid the offending foods. If you are exposed to a trigger and experience a severe reaction, it’s protocol to treat it like a pollen allergy with antihistamines, epinephrine and/or immunotherapy. In rare cases, a person with OAS might experience life-threatening anaphylaxis.

Do you suspect you might have OAS? Make an appointment with Covenant Allergy and Asthma for further testing and a plan of action. Visit our website today to learn more about our services and clinic.