{"id":68439,"date":"2023-06-23T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-23T08:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/?p=68439"},"modified":"2025-03-13T13:55:13","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T13:55:13","slug":"oral-allergy-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/oral-allergy-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"Recognising Oral Allergy Syndrome (Pollen Food Syndrome)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A food hypersensitivity is an adverse reaction to food, whether it\u2019s a food allergy, a food intolerance or an autoimmune disease, like coeliac disease. Oral allergy syndrome is a type of food hypersensitivity that can cause your mouth, lips and throat to become irritated when eating certain fruits, vegetables or nuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll look at the importance of being aware of and understanding food allergies and hypersensitivities, the symptoms of oral allergy syndrome and how treatment for this condition can be administered. Whether you suffer from pollen food syndrome yourself, know someone who does or work in the food industry, having an understanding of allergies and their symptoms can be life-saving.<\/p>\n\n\n

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What is Oral Allergy Syndrome?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Oral allergy syndrome, also known as pollen food syndrome, is a hypersensitivity to plant-based foods, such as nuts, seeds, cereals, herbs, fruits and vegetables. If you have oral allergy syndrome, then eating these foods can cause your lips, mouth, tongue and throat to feel irritated or itchy.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Looking to Learn More?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Our article on \u2019What is Food Hypersensitivity?\u2019<\/a> provides further information on this topic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What Causes Oral Allergy Syndrome?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Pollen food syndrome is fairly common in the UK and, as its name suggests, is linked to hayfever (a sensitivity to pollen). If you\u2019re sensitive to airborne grass, weed or tree pollen in the spring and summer months then you\u2019re more likely to experience oral allergy syndrome, though the two aren\u2019t definitively linked and you can suffer from one and not the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason hayfever and oral allergy syndrome are often connected is because the protein structure of plant-based foods is very similar to that of tree and grass pollen, causing the immune system to trigger the same response when they are encountered by the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are five main types of pollen that can cause hypersensitivity – silver birch (tree), grass, mugwort (weed), ragweed and latex. It\u2019s typically the nuts, fruits and vegetables associated with each of these that causes oral allergy syndrome.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Oral Allergy Syndrome Foods List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Any plant-based food has the ability to trigger pollen food syndrome, though it\u2019s more likely to elicit a response from the immune system if the food eaten is raw, fresh or in juice or milk form. You may also experience an allergic reaction when preparing plant-based foods, such as when peeling vegetables or chopping herbs.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Did You Know?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Those with oral allergy syndrome can usually eat the problem foods in cooked form because the heating process changes the allergen so that the immune system no longer recognises it as a threat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

There are five main types of pollen that can cause hypersensitivity and it\u2019s often the nuts, fruits and vegetables associated with these that trigger oral allergy syndrome. Foods that commonly cause oral allergy syndrome, and their associated pollen type, include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pollen Type<\/strong><\/td>Fruits<\/strong>

This includes whole fruits as well as fruit juices or smoothies.<\/em><\/td>		Vegetables and Herbs<\/strong>

This includes vegetables used in juices or smoothies<\/em><\/td>		Nuts<\/strong>

This includes whole nuts, chopped nuts and nut milks of any variety.<\/em><\/td>		Seeds, Legumes and Cereals<\/strong>

Whether eaten on their own or mixed into salads, etc.<\/em><\/td><\/tr>
Silver birch tree pollen<\/strong><\/td>Apples
Apricots
Cherries
Kiwi fruit
Mango
Nectarines
Oranges
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Strawberries
Tomatoes<\/td>		Basil
Bean sprouts
Carrot
Celery
Coriander
Fennel
Green pepper
Mangetout
Onion
Oregano
Paprika
Parsley
Parsnips
Peas
Potatoes<\/td>		Almonds
Brazil nuts
Cashews
Hazelnuts
Walnuts
<\/td>		Soya beans<\/td><\/tr>
Grass pollen<\/strong><\/td>Kiwi fruit
Melon
Oranges
Tomatoes
Watermelon<\/td>		Peas
Potatoes
Swiss chard<\/td>		<\/td>Beans
Lentils
Peanuts
Soya beans
Wheat<\/td><\/tr>
Mugwort and ragweed weed pollens<\/strong><\/td>Apples
Banana
Melon
Oranges
Peaches
Tomatoes
Watermelon<\/td>		Carrot
Celery
Chives
Coriander
Fennel
Green pepper
Mustard
Onions
Parsley
Parsnip<\/td>		<\/td>Aniseed
Peanuts
Sunflower seeds<\/td><\/tr>
Latex<\/strong><\/td>Avocado
Banana
Kiwi fruit
Grapes
Lemon
Lime
Mango
Melon
Oranges
Papaya
Passion fruit
Peaches
Pineapple
Plums
Tomatoes<\/td>		Peppers<\/td>Chestnuts<\/td>Peanuts<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n
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Symptoms of Oral Allergy Syndrome<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The symptoms of oral allergy syndrome are similar to those of hayfever and often begin immediately after contact with the plant-based food. Symptoms are usually mild and will calm down within an hour, without the need for medical intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common symptoms of pollen food syndrome include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n