Lupin Food Allergen

Lupin is a garden plant, closely related to legumes such as peas, beans and lentils. The most widely used species for food is the Lupinus albus.

The yellow legume seeds of lupins, commonly called lupin beans, were popular with the Romans, who spread the plant’s cultivation throughout the Roman Empire; hence common names like lupini in Romance languages. The name ‘Lupin’ derives from the Latin word lupinus (meaning wolf), and was given with regard to the fact that many found that the plant has a tendency to ravage the land on which it grows. The peas, which appear after the flowering period were also said to be fit only for the consumption of wolves. Beans are commonly sold in a salty solution in jars (like olives and pickles) and can be eaten with or without the skin.

Lupini dishes are most commonly found in Mediterranean countries, especially in Portugal, Egypt, and Italy, and also in Brazil. In Spain and the Spanish Harlem they are popularly consumed with beer. In Lebanon, salty and chilled Lupini Beans are called “Termos” and are served pre-meal as part of an aperitif. The Andean variety of this bean is from the Andean Lupin and was a widespread food in the Incan Empire. The Andean Lupin and the Mediterranean White Lupin, Blue Lupin, and Lupinus hirsutus are also edible after soaking the seeds for some days in salted water. They were also used by Native Americans in North America, e.g., the Yavapai people. They are known as altramuz in Spain and Argentina. In Portuguese the lupin beans are known as tremoços, and in Antalya (Turkey) as tirmis. Edible plants are referred to as sweet lupins because they contain smaller amounts of toxic alkaloids than the bitter varieties. Newly bred variants of sweet lupins are grown extensively in Germany; they lack any bitter taste and require no soaking in salt solution. The seeds are used for different foods from vegan sausages to lupin-tofu or baking-enhancing flour.

It is widely used across Europe but was only legalised in the UK in 1996 and as such there have been few confirmed reports of lupin allergy.

Growth

Lupinus can be hardy annuals, half hardy annuals or hardy perennials. They reach from 30cm to 1.5 m in height depending upon species and variety. They have stiff erect spikes that carry pea like flowers that grow in racemes. Flowers are a variety of colours including purple, blue, pink, white and yellow. The perennial varieties of lupinus come into bloom in the summer, whilst annual varieties will flower about two months after being sown.

Lupin Allergy

Similar proteins found in lupin are present in peanut and soya therefore cross allergic reactions can occur. One in nine peanut sufferers is suspected to cross react with lupin. The seeds are soaked to reduce the levels of toxic alkaloids, dried and ground to produce lupin flour.

There is no evidence that the allergen is affected by heat.

Due to the lack of research in this area currently, it is unknown if there are any particular thresholds of concern.

Allergy Symptoms

Lupin gives rise to allergic reactions when ingested, however inhalation can also cause a reaction. In some cases anaphylactic shock may occur. Below are some more examples:

Anaphylactic shock

Rhinitis

Acute asthma and swelling of throat causing breathing difficulties

Oral itching

Skin rash

Angioedema (wheals / swelling of the skin)

Where lupin could be found?

Lupin takes the form of:

Toasted and un-toasted lupin flour

Lupin grits, granulates, fibre and protein concentrates from non de-fatted seeds

It can be found in:

Baked goods such as pasta, pastry, bread, cookies etc.

Lupin coffee

Some vegetarian ready meals

Uncontrolled Spice Allergy Likely to Develop

Spices are one of the most widely used products found in foods, cosmetics and dental products. The spices are not regulated, meaning they often are not noted on food labels, making spices possibly the most difficult allergen to identify or avoid. According to rough estimates, spice allergy is responsible for 2 percent of food allergies. However it is underdiagnosed, particularly due to the lack of reliable allergy skin tests or blood tests. According to allergists at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology(ACAAI) 2 to 3 percent of population lives in a world where you could never dine away from home, wear makeup, smell of sweet perfumes or eat a large percentage of food on store shelves, lives with a spice allergy.

While spice allergy seems to be rare, with the constantly increasing use of spices in diets and a variety of cosmetics more people will develop this allergy. Women are more likely to develop spice allergy due to the wide use of spice in cosmetics. Makeup, body oils, toothpaste and fragrances can all include one or more spices. Those with birch pollen or mugwort (a traditional herbal medicine used to relieve inflammatory conditions) allergy are also more prone to spice allergy.

Common spice allergy triggers include cinnamon and garlic, but can range from black pepper to vanilla. Several spice blends contain anywhere from three to 18 spices, and the hotter the spice, the greater the chance for allergy.

Boiling, roasting, frying and other forms of applying heat to spices may reduce allergy causing agents, but can also enhance them depending on the spice. Because of this allergy’s complexity, allergists often recommend a treatment plan that includes strict avoidance which can be a major task.

An allergic reaction can be caused from breathing, eating or touching spices. Symptoms range from mild sneezing to a life-threating allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. Spice allergy should be suspected in individuals that have multiple reactions to unrelated foods, or those that react to foods when commercially prepared but not when cooked at home.

Even someone that is allergic to only one known spice can have a reaction to several spice blends. There are several unique characteristics about spice blends, including:

• A Five-Spice blend has seven spices, yet Allspice has one
• The same blend name doesn’t mean same components
• There are several types of Curry, each is a different blend of many spices

Food Allergy - Sesame

Sesame seed is a versatile seed that can be used in many of the same ways as nuts.  The seed has a nutty, sweet aroma with a milk-like, buttery taste.  When toasted, its flavor intensifies, yielding an almost almond- or peanut butter-like flavor.  Sesame is grown primarily for its oil-rich seeds, which come in a variety of colors, from cream-white to charcoal-black. In general, the paler varieties of sesame seem to be valued in the West and Middle East, while both the pale and black varieties are prized in the Far East. It is rich in calcium, vitamins B and E, iron, and zinc, sesame is high in protein and contains no cholesterol.

Sesame is thought to be one of the oldest spices known to man and is likely the first crop grown for its edible oil.  Babylonians used the oil to make sesame cakes, wine, brandy, and toiletries.  From as early as 1500 B.C, Egyptians believed sesame to have medicinal powers.

Sesame seeds are sometimes added to breads, including bagels and the tops of hamburger buns. Sesame seeds may be baked into crackers, often in the form of sticks. Sesame seeds are also sprinkled onto some sushi style foods. Whole seeds are found in many salads and baked snacks as well in Japan. Tan and black sesame seed varieties are roasted and used for making the flavoring gomashio. In Greece the seeds are used in cakes, and in Togo they are a main soup ingredient. The seeds are also eaten on bread in Sicily and France (called “ficelle sésame”, sesame thread). In DR Congo and North of Angola, ground sesame or wangila is a delicious dish, especially when cooked with smoked fish or lobsters. About one-third of Mexico’s sesame crop is exported to the United States.

Growth
Sesamum indicum, sesame’s Latin name, indicum meaning that it comes from India, likes hot climates and is native to Africa, Indonesia, India, and Afghanistan. The sesame plant is an annual herb of the Pedaliacae family. This annual herb grows to be about 1 to 1.5 meters high. The white to lavender-pink flowers mature into pods that contain the edible sesame seeds which burst with a pop when the small seeds are mature.

The sesame plant, Sesamum indicum, is cultivated in Central America, India, Sudan, China, and the United States.  It is an annual that grows three to 2 meters high.  The fruit is harvested by hand, and the capsules shatter when fully ripe, releasing the seeds.  Hulled seeds are pearly white, tear-shaped and flat.  Because of their oil content, sesame seeds have a shelf life of about two years if stored tightly capped in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator.

Sesame Seeds Allergy

Sesame allergy is ten times less common than peanut allergy although the resulting reaction is as severe.

It is estimated that sesame allergy affects 1 in 2,000 people in the UK. Severe allergic reactions to sesame are becoming increasingly frequent, particularly among children under two years of age.

Sesame allergy is common in some countries with a high consumption rate in particular Israel where it is the third most common allergen and the second most common cause of anaphylaxis. This is though to be due to the early sensitisation of children. The prevalence is increasing in Australia and Asia and consumption is increasing in Europe.

Some sesame allergy sufferers have associated food allergies with tree nuts, peanuts and soybean. It has also been noted that the structures of hazelnut and rye grain are similar to that of sesame.

Sesame seeds contain 50% oil and 20% proteins. The major protein in sesame is alphaglobulin. There have been 5 sesame allergens recently identified. Sesame protein is not denatured by heat.

Allergy Symptoms

Symptoms are particularly severe with a high risk of anaphylaxis:

Anaphylaxis

Dermatitis

Bronchial asthma

Rhinitis

Flushing/redness of the skin

Swelling of tongue, face and larynx

Gastrointestinal symptoms

Itchy mouth and throat

Hypertension

Where sesame seeds could be found?

Sesame seed oil

Sesame seeds (black, white and brown)

Asian spice pastes; such as tahini

Bakery products, e.g. sesame oil used to shorten biscuits, in some breads

Fast foods

‘Health foods’

Vegetarian and ethnic cuisine

Salad dressings

Pharmaceutical industry