Who is allergic to tomatoes

The onset of allergic reactions takes place upon direct consumption of tomatoes including skin symptoms, OAS, rhinitis, or abdominal pain 8. Consumption of even minor quantities of tomatoes from tomato-containing products can elicit an allergic reaction 2.

The most common clinical response to tomato allergies is seen as an Oral Allergy Syndrome OAS , in which symptoms are seen locally at the oral mucosa 1. In Italy, a study showed that According to studies published in the literature, OAS was most frequently reported to be the major clinical manifestation of tomato allergy in the young population with allergic pollinosis From a study of tomato SPT-positive individuals, 18 patients reported clinical symptoms, and all showed sensitization to Artemisia and Platanus pollens.

The same study also showed that more subjects were sensitized to peel extracts patients than pulp extracts 47 patients. Individuals sensitized to both pulp and peel reported mild asthma-like symptoms than those sensitive to only peel 6. In another study based out of six allergy centers along the Mediterranean coast in Spain, out of subjects reporting for respiratory or cutaneous symptoms, 6.

Allergic reactions to tomatoes can cause skin symptoms like urticaria and dermatitis 8. Two patients were presented with urticaria every time they consumed tomatoes, which was seen to fade away once tomatoes were removed from their diet Urticaria was reported as the major symptom of tomato allergy in a female-dominated study of adolescent population with allergic pollinosis and latex-allergy Pollen associated food allergies have been reported to cause urticaria A case study of 39 -year-old women showed sensitization to both latex and uncooked tomatoes and potatoes that caused fingertip-dermatitis.

Dermatitis aggravated upon eating only uncooked tomatoes. Along with dermatitis, she also complained of facial erythema and oral tingling Allergy to tomatoes has also known to cause systemic reactions which can cause severe effects. Some cases of allergy-induced anaphylaxis have also been reported 1, These individuals also exhibited symptoms with tomato-derived products Pollen associated food allergies have reported symptoms of anaphylaxis Among 54 patients in a study, 48 reported at least one episode of food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis and tomatoes were one of the major suspected foods Eight patients between years suffered from anaphylaxis after eating uncooked or raw tomatoes.

Severe episodes of anaphylaxis were marked by larger wheal diameters during skin tests of these patients Tomatoes contain a high level of nickel which is found to be responsible for abdominal pain, meteorism and dyspepsia in highly allergic patients. A year girl was reported with these symptoms along with nausea and general malaise after consuming tomatoes Patients with known Eosinophilic Esophagitis were tested for food-induced allergies and tomatoes were identified as one of the sources for allergy Pollen allergen-specific subcutaneous immunotherapy SCIT effectively reduced the basophil activation from tomato and Japanese cedar pollen in patients with Japanese cedar pollen-tomato allergy, indicating that the therapy might be beneficial in alleviating the pollen-food allergy syndrome PFAS.

The suppression was seen over a period of 1 year in this study. A similar reduction in basophil activation has been reported in food-specific immunotherapy as well Avoidance Tomatoes, even in small amounts, can elicit allergic reactions and thus, individuals sensitive to tomatoes are advised to avoid consumption of the fruit.

This is the reason why food items containing tomatoes are asked for proper labeling in South Korea 2. However, the majority of allergic individuals can tolerate processed or cooked forms of tomatoes Allergens in tomatoes have been identified and characterized much recently.

To-date, 26 proteins, including isoforms, from tomatoes have been reported to be potential allergens 8. All allergens, except Sola 15, have been classified as food allergens. LTPs are extremely resistant to heat and digestion while Sola 1 4 and Sola 1 1 are heat-labile and prone to degradation by digestion enzymes 1. LTP is the main allergen in Mediterranean countries involved in plant food allergies 9. Profilins are highly conserved across various plant species and this is the reason for extensive cross-reactivity between profilin allergens from different plant sources.

Sola 1 1 also shows high sequence similarity to other plant profilins like Pru av 4 from cherry, Ana c 1 from pineapple, Mus xp1 from banana, Dau c4 from carrot and Bet v 2 of birch Lec2SA, a postulated allergen from tomato shows high cross-reactivity with major allergens from Brazil nut and yellow mustard Tomato fruit cross-reacts with grass pollens and Japanese cedar pollen and the cross-reactivity is attributed structurally to profilins and N-glycans in these allergens.

Inhibition studies with tomato extract and extracts from birch pollen, mugwort pollen, apple and celery showed marked inhibition thereby implying extensive cross-reactivity among these plant species Various binding and inhibition studies with both natural and recombinant extract of LTPs from the family Rosaceae showed cross-reactivity with tomatoes The cross-reactive component was identified to be Class I chitinases in latex-fruit associated allergies including tomato In addition to this, another study found that the component responsible for cross-reactivity of tomatoes with potato and latex is a 46 kDa storage protein patatin Some products may not be available to you, and indications may differ from your original region's approved use.

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In some individuals, alkaloids may cause a severe and life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. A person should seek urgent medical attention if they experience or witness any of the following signs:. A person experiencing anaphylaxis should immediately phone the emergency services. They should then lay on their back with feet elevated while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Medical professionals will give a shot of epinephrine to reduce the severity of the allergic reaction.

Some people with the following pre-existing medical conditions report that nightshade foods can worsen their symptoms. Some people who have functional digestive disorders with no known medical cause report that their symptoms become much worse after eating nightshades. These disorders include heartburn, bloating, and irritable bowel syndrome IBS.

However, there is no clear scientific evidence to support a link between nightshade foods and the worsening of these conditions. In fact, a recent study suggested the opposite.

A small group of people with IBS took capsules of red pepper powder for 6 weeks. They reported a significant reduction in bloating and abdominal pain compared to people who took a placebo. However, this was a small-scale study, and some participants dropped out due to worsening abdominal pain after taking the capsules. Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells within the body, which can result in inflammation and tissue damage.

Some of the more common autoimmune diseases include inflammatory bowel disease IBD , celiac disease , and rheumatoid arthritis.

Eating nightshades may worsen these conditions because the natural chemicals contained within them may stimulate the immune response. This is a strict diet which eliminates nightshades and other foods considered to irritate the gut, including alcohol and legumes. Many people believe that eating nightshades can cause inflammation, therefore making inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis worse.

However, the Arthritis Foundation says that there is no evidence for this and that people with arthritis should eat nightshade fruits and vegetables as part of a healthful diet. Nightshades also contain a type of protein called lectins.

Nightshade allergies are incredibly rare, affecting a small percentage of the population. They can, however, be very problematic for those affected. At present, the best way to diagnose a nightshade allergy or intolerance is to remove these foods from the diet temporarily. Treatment entails substituting nightshades with alternative fruits and vegetables. The extent to which the chemicals found in nightshade foods affect pre-existing medical conditions is still not clear.

If you have severe or worsening allergy symptoms, you may need to ask your healthcare provider for a referral to an allergist who can help identify the specifics allergens you are sensitive to.

There are a variety of tests that can be used, including:. For persons with confirmed OAS, avoidance of the food triggers is advised, especially during allergy season.

If the allergy is severe, the allergist may recommend a series of allergy shots to gradually desensitize you to the true allergen grass pollen as well as the food allergen. In the event of exposure, oral antihistamines can provide relief by blocking histamine, the chemical produced by the immune system that triggers allergy symptoms.

Persons with a history of anaphylaxis may need to carry a preloaded syringe of epinephrine such as an EpiPen to inject in the event of an emergency. Get one simple hack every day to make your life healthier. Oral allergy syndrome: An update for stomatologists. J Allergy. Gill P, et al. Anaphylactic shock in oral allergy. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

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