Mustard allergy was once thought to be a rare food allergy; however, it actually is not uncommon and can cause severe allergic reactions. There are several associations and risk factors for a mustard allergy. If you suspect you or your child has a mustard allergy, your physician will perform several tests to determine if that is the case. Treatment generally revolves around avoiding mustard and mustard plants and treating symptoms if contact occurs.
Onset of Symptoms
Mustard allergy has received little attention until recent years. In a 2000 study performed by researchers at the Hospital for Infants in Toulouse, France, 36 children with positive skin prick tests to mustard were compared to 22 control children. Symptoms of mustard allergy were manifested in children under 3 years of age, leading researchers to conclude that symptoms start early in life.
Risk Factors
People with mustard allergies also usually have allergies to other members of the Brassicaceae plant family. Researchers in Las Palmas, Spain, found significant associations between mustard allergy and allergies to mugwort pollinosis, nuts and rosaceae fruit. They also found an interesting association between mustard allergy and food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis. A family history of food allergy or allergic diseases makes it more likely that you will have food allergies.
Diagnosis
There are several tests that can be used to determine if you are allergic to mustard. The most common is a skin prick test in which you are exposed to ground mustard seed and other mustard products. In addition, your blood can be screened for mustard specific IgE, a product produced by your immune system during the allergic reaction to mustard. Another possible test is a placebo-controlled food trial in which you are exposed to mustard food items.
Symptoms
Symptoms of mustard allergy can range from mild to severe. Clinical features in children include atopic dermatitis, urticaria and angioedema. In adult patients, systemic anaphylaxis has been reported. A positive result of a skin prick test is a wheal, a raised area of skin surrounding the prick site that can be red and itchy.
References
- "Allergy"; Mustard Allergy in Children; F. Rance, et al.; May 2000
- National Health Service; Food Allergy Causes; December 2010
- "Allergy"; Prospective Study of Mustard Allergy: First Study with Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Food Challenge Trials; M. Morisset, et al.; April 2003
- "Allergy"; Mustard Allergy Confirmed by Dobuble-Blind Placebo-Controlled Food Challenges: Clinical Features and Cross-Reactivity with Mugwort Pollen and Plant-Dervied Foods; J. Figueroa, et al.; January 2005
