Strawberry Allergy And Hives

Food allergies affect 3.7 percent of adults and 6 percent of children under the age of 3, and the number of children suffering from food allergies is rising, according to a 2006 study cited by the International Food Information Council (IFIC). The most common allergic reactions occur in the skin as hives or some other form of itching, redness or swelling. Ten to 25 percent of us develop hives at some point in our lives. The cause isn't always known, but strawberries are a proven culprit.

Hives

The clinical name for hives is urticaria. Hives are triggered by an allergic reaction involving the release of chemicals in the body called histamines. Hives are usually itchy but may also burn or sting. They may be pink, red, have a pale center or look like raised patches of skin. Hives can develop on any area of skin, can vary in the amount of skin involved and can change locations on the body. They can last from hours to days.

Strawberry Allergy

Many people mistake a true food allergy for food intolerance, and strawberry allergy is one of the most commonly mistaken self-diagnoses. Food intolerances primarily affect digestion. Food allergies involve the immune system, affect many organs and can have life-threatening consequences. While food intolerance is on the rise, cases of true strawberry allergy still occur. A secondary allergy to strawberries may develop in people who are allergic to birch pollen or latex. That's because a protein in strawberries is very similar to the offending protein in birch pollen and the tree sap that latex is derived from.

Hypoallergenic Strawberries?

Researchers from Lund University have found that white strawberries may not provoke the same allergic reaction that red ones do, according to the Swedish Research Council. They believe the strawberry allergen is related in some way to the red color of the fruit. Meanwhile, breeders in Sweden have been working to improve the taste and quality of the white strawberry.

Treatment

Most strawberry allergy reactions aren't serious, but any allergic reaction can sometimes be very serious. The strawberry allergen doesn't survive cooking, so most jams and other cooked foods containing strawberries are safe to eat. Developing hives after eating a large quantity of raw strawberries usually is a sign of food intolerance rather than a food allergy. Some children grow out of the reaction. Hives generally clear up without treatment. Your doctor may prescribe an antihistamine to relieve the itching.