Food Allergy - Celery

Celery is native to the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans as a flavoring. The Ancient Chinese used it as a medicinal.

The oldest record of the word celeri is in a 9th-century poem written in France or Italy, giving the medicinal uses and merits of the plant. It was gardened in the 16th century in Italy and northern Europe as a primitive plant and was used for medicinal purposes only. The celery was used as a food in France in 1623. For about a hundred years thereafter its food use was confined to flavorings. In France and Italy, by the middle of the 17th century, the little stalks and leaves were sometimes eaten with an oil dressing.

In the late 17th and early 18th centuries growers found that much of the too-strong flavor could be eliminated, making the stalks better for salad use, by growing the plants in late summer and fall, then keeping them into the winter.
Celery stalks, celery seed and celeriac (celery root) are each grown commercially from different varieties of the plant.

The allergen contains a root and a stick but usually the frequency of sensitisation is higher in celery root than celery stick.

Celery has many health benefits.  It is high in Vitamin C which is a natural immune booster and when celery juice is combined with a little lemon juice it can be used as a remedy for the common cold when fever is more prominent than chills.  It benefits arteries and all connective tissues and helps to renew joints due to its high content of silicon (which is important for bone healthy).

Growth

Celery seeds are planted in green houses and are allowed to grow for 2 months.  After the 2 month period, the seedlings are transplanted to the field where they grow for another 4-5 months.  During this time, the plants are watered regularly to provide the necessary water and nutrients to allow the plant to grow.

Celery Allergy

Celery is the most frequent pollen-related allergen in Europe, particularly in countries such as Switzerland, France and Germany.
Celery and celeriac are a frequent cause of food allergy, in some European countries. In Switzerland and France about 30–40% of patients with food allergy have been reported to be sensitised to celeriac (celery root).

Allergy to celeriac (the celery root) is more common than to celery stick, although both can cause severe reactions.
Cross reactions can occur with other allergens and celery, such as:

Between those with birch pollen allergies and celery, most prominent in Central Europe.

Between those with mugwort pollen allergies and celery, most prominent in Southern Europe.

Some German literature suggests those with allergies to carrots and spices can also react with celery.

Similarities between plant proteins and some celery structures have been shown to cause the cross reaction between pollen and celery.

Some allergenic proteins are denatured by cooking, however not all as some are thermostable. The celery carbohydrate structures are also not removed by the cooking process. As such heating does not reduce the allergenicity.

There have been minimal studies carried out in this area and therefore no suggested threshold, however generally it is thought that:

The allergenicity of processed celery is comparable to raw celery as cooking has not been shown to reduce the reaction.

Oral symptoms are caused by consuming low doses (for example patients reacted to 0.7-2.7g celery.)

More severe and anaphlyactic reactions are caused by consuming much larger amounts (for example an anaphylactic reaction ranged from 7.5-31g celery ingested.)

Allergy Symptoms

Allergic reactions to celery are frequently severe these include:

• Anaphylactic shock
• Oral allergy associated syndromes
• Respiratory symptoms
• Urticaria (skin rash)
• Gastrointestinal symptoms

Where celery could be found?

• Raw or as seeds in salads
• In its processed form such as cooked or as a spice.
• These can be found in dished such as soups, sauces, and bouillons.
• Celery is widely used in prepared foods due to its aromatic aroma.

Food Allergy

Food Allergy is a growing concern in food industry. Awareness of the food allergies is a key factor in solving the problem. It is important to understand consequences caused by allergens.

Food Allergy is an adverse immune response to a food protein. They are distinct from other adverse responses to food, such as food intolerance, pharmacological reactions, and toxin-mediated reactions. A protein in the food is the most common allergic component. These kinds of allergies occur when the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies a protein as harmful. Some proteins or fragments of proteins are resistant to digestion and those that are not broken down in the digestive process are tagged by the Immunoglobulin E. These tags fool the immune system into thinking that the protein is harmful. The immune system, thinking the organism (the individual) is under attack, triggers an allergic reaction. These reactions can range from mild to severe. Allergic responses include dermatitis, gastrointestinal and respiratory distress, including such life-threatening anaphylactic responses as biphasic anaphylaxis and vasodilation; these require immediate emergency intervention.

Food Allergens defined by EU are:

• Cereals containing gluten
• Crustaceans
• Eggs
• Fish
• Peanuts
• Soybeans
• Milk (including lactose)
• Nuts i.e. almond, hazelnut, walnut, cashew, pecan nut, brazil nut, pistachio nut, macademia nut and queensland nut
• Celery
• Mustard
• Sesame seeds
• Sulphur dioxide and sulphites at concentrations of more than 10mg/kg or 10 mg/litre expressed as SO2
• Lupin
• Molluscs

Food allergens identified by FDA:-

• Milk
• Eggs
• Fish (e.g., bass, flounder, cod)
• Crustacean shellfish (e.g. crab, lobster, shrimp)
• Tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans)
• Peanuts
• Wheat
• Soybeans

These eight foods, and any ingredient that contains protein derived from one or more of them, are designated as “major food allergens” by FALCPA.

Food Allergen incidents dramatically increased in the last years. Most of the cases were related to mislabelling of products.  

Food labelling rules

Labelling rules in European Directives 2003/89/EC and 2006/142/EC ensure that all consumers are given comprehensive ingredient listing information and make it easier for people with food allergies to identify ingredients they need to avoid. The EU rules will be changing in December 2014 when the food information regulation 1169/2011 comes into force. These pages will be updated to reflect the new rules.

Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) of 2004 (FALCPA) is an amendment to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and requires that the label of a food that contains an ingredient that is or contains protein from a “major food allergen ” declare the presence of the allergen in the manner described by the law.

I will be continuing with introduction to each individual allergen for the next weeks.

Introduction

My name is Sarah Wilmcow. I have worked over 20 years working developing quality systems in food industry and I have decided to share my knowledge or point my readers / followers in the right direction.

I believe that all food safety and hygiene aspects should be reachable for everybody, for these who are involved in food production and distribution process and those who are consumers.

I believe that people have the right to expect the food they eat to be safe and suitable for consumption. Foodborne illness and foodborne injury are at best unpleasant; at worst, they could be fatal. But there are also other consequences. Outbreaks of foodborne illness could damage trade and tourism, and lead to loss of earnings, unemployment and litigation. Food spoilage is wasteful, costly and could adversely affect trade and consumer confidence.

I am looking forward hearing from you.