Spices have been used by people since ancient times both for treatment and to flavor foods. Spices used in many different ways sometimes appear as the seeds or flowers of a plant, sometimes as the bark or fruit of a tree.
Today, spices are mostly used by South Asians in the world. Spices used in many countries of the world are of course also used in our country. Turkey is also among the countries that consume the most spices. Especially in our country, spices play a decisive role in the culinary culture of Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia.
Spices are used not only in food, but also in toothpastes, perfumes and cosmetic products.
Spices that come in so many different forms are allergenic. Can it cause complaints? Or could it cause increased complaints in people with allergies? It causes the question to be asked.
WHAT IS SPICE ALLERGY?
Spices are products that we use many times in our daily lives to give taste and smell to our meals. Especially since the spices we use to flavor our meals consist of plants, they can cause various allergic complaints. Especially in patients with pollen allergy, for example, in patients with sensitivity to wormwood (artemisia vulgaris), it is seen that they are allergic to spices. Such allergic reactions may occur due to cross-reactions between pollens and foods.
The scents or chemical properties of spices are used in many perfumes, shower gels and toothpastes that we use in our daily lives.
Allergic complaints against spices. has been reported many times. According to a presentation at the 2012 scientific meeting of the American Association of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), between 2% and 3% of people around the world have an allergic reaction to spices. These allergies may represent 2% of all food allergies, but diagnosis is difficult due to the lack of reliable tests for them. That's why it can be overlooked. We must remember that allergic reactions can range from sneezing to life-threatening anaphylaxis. We also use cosmetics in many areas of our lives other than food. Spices used in toothpaste and other dental products can trigger our allergies.
If allergic reactions caused by spices occur through inhalation, they may most likely lead to runny nose, sneezing, itching, itching in the eyes (rhinoconjunctivitis), reactive airway or asthma. When taken with the digestive system, it can cause complaints of itching, redness and swelling, that is, urticaria, in the body, as well as life-threatening anaphylactic shock complaints such as shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting.
When we look at the reactions that occur with spices, they are generally seen as triggers of allergic reactions, Apart from this, reactions mediated by IgE antibodies, which are seen in allergic reactions, are much rarer.
In the ready-made food industry, adding spices and other accompanying additives to foods is extremely common. Spices are derived from the flowers or seeds of plants and therefore have the potential to be allergenic. Chemical substances such as tartarazine and glutamate used as food additives can also cause reactions similar to allergic reactions.
Most of the reactions experienced by patients are not true allergic reactions. It can cause non-allergic reactions compatible with food intolerance without causing allergic reactions to spices due to antibodies formed against them. It is extremely important to detect IgE-mediated reactions, called early types. It should not be forgotten that life-threatening allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis may occur with IgE-mediated early type reactions. A non-allergic, that is, non-IgE-mediated, reaction is likely to be self-limiting.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF SPICE ALLERGY?
The spices we use frequently in our meals or cosmetic products today sometimes have bad taste. Sometimes they add color to our lives with their scents.
The spices we use most are: Allspice, Basil, Bay Leaf, Cinnamon, Clove, Cumin Seed, Curry, Dill, Fennel, Ginger, Marjoram, Mustard, Coconut, Thyme, Red Pepper, Parsley, Pepper (black), Pepper (red), Mint, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme.
Spices There have been many reactions published regarding the herb, some of which are allergic and some are non-allergic.
The chemical substances contained in spices can cause various reactions in our body. Some of these may bother us a lot, but these are non-allergic reactions and are more commonly called food intolerance.
Non-Allergic Reactions
• Skin rash: When spices come into contact with the skin, they cause irritation and eventually rashes.
Example: Cinnamon can cause a local rash when it comes into contact with the skin.
• Cough: This type of reaction is probably caused by an irritant effect rather than a true allergy.
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For example: Black pepper may cause cough or trigger asthma symptoms in patients with asthma.
When red hot pepper is eaten, complaints such as hot flashes and diarrhea are related to the chemicals contained in hot pepper. Eating hot spices may cause your eyes to water and your mouth to burn. The chemicals in these spices (capsaicin and isothiocyanate, respectively) irritate the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth. In this case, the effect is a physiological and immediate response
Due to the chemical contents in the spices, palpitations, weakness, red rash seen all over the body may occur in non-allergic ways.
Allergic reactions
• Anaphylaxis (allergic shock): Although extremely rare, anaphylaxis has been reported with some spices. Anaphylaxis, which manifests itself with complaints such as shortness of breath, dizziness, itching and rash all over the body after taking spices, has been described with thyme, coriander and cumin.
• It may cause rhinitis, conjunctivitis, or asthma complaints in patients who are constantly exposed through inhalation.
• Allergic reactions to spices may occur in some patients with pollen allergy. Oral allergy syndrome, which manifests itself with itching, redness and swelling in the mouth and on the lips, may occur, especially when you take spices that cross-react with wormwood and birch pollen. Anaphylactic shock has been shown to occur in birch pollen and spice syndrome.
• Related to sesame seeds. Anaphylaxis has been described more frequently. It is necessary to be careful as it can be found in many spice mixtures. Since sesame also cross-reacts with some spices, mustard, peanuts and walnuts, it is necessary to be careful with these foods. Patients known to be allergic to sesame should be careful to stay away from sesame.
• When spices come into contact with the skin, it causes allergic contact dermatitis, which develops as a late-type allergic reaction. Contact dermatitis due to spices can be seen especially in herbalists or cooks who have a lot of contact with spices. Allergic contact dermatitis has been reported after contact with cinnamon. Some spices that cause allergic contact dermatitis can lead to systemic allergic contact dermatitis, which can be more serious when passed through the digestive system. Toothpaste, perfume or other cosmetic products containing spices cause allergic reactions to spices.
HOW IS SPICE ALLERGY DIAGNOSED?
If a spice allergy is suspected. It would be appropriate to go to an allergist. Spice allergy can manifest itself with different symptoms. Therefore, it would be appropriate to take a detailed history from an allergist and make the diagnosis by performing the necessary tests.
To diagnose spice allergy, an allergy skin test (prick test) can be performed. The skin prick test we use to diagnose pollen allergy and food allergy can be used to diagnose spice allergy, but skin tests may not be sufficient to make a correct diagnosis, especially for spicy spices. Accurate positive results can be obtained in skin prick tests used to diagnose spices other than spicy spices.
With the prick to prick technique, fresh spices or their extracts are used and the spice that causes an allergic reaction can be detected. Since these tests are risky, it would be appropriate for them to be performed by allergists.
In addition to skin tests, blood allergy tests may also be necessary to diagnose spice allergy. Testing specific IgE for the food thought to cause spice allergy may be useful for diagnosis. However, most commercial kits are only used to test a small variety of spices. A large number of spices may not be detected.
Apart from this, both allergen-causing allergens and common allergens of allergy-causing pollen and spices can be detected with skin tests and allergen component tests taken from blood to reveal the spices themselves or their relationship with pollens.
For tests used in the diagnosis of food allergies, basophil activation tests and food provocation tests are used less frequently. Especially food provocation tests should be performed under the supervision of allergists.
Patch test is used to show late type allergic reactions. Patch tests are used to diagnose contact dermatitis caused by spices. It should not be forgotten that cosmetic products such as toothpaste, creams, shower gels or perfumes containing spices may cause allergic contact dermatitis, especially for herbalists or people who are professionally exposed to spices. Patch test positivity was mostly detected with ginger, nutmeg and thyme.
A patch test can be performed with an extract prepared in appropriate concentrations for the suspected spice. It is important to consider that the spice itself can cause irritation. However, not all spices can be tested in this way,
Given these difficulties, personal experience and help from an allergist are often invaluable in making a diagnosis.
HOW TO TREAT SPICE ALLERGY. ?
Once diagnosed, treatment of spice allergy depends largely on the type and severity of symptoms.
As with food allergies, the current approach to treating spice allergy is to prevent the allergen and promptly treat allergic reactions. It is based on preventing reactions that could be more serious. The most important of all these is the education of the patient.
Until the specific spice causing the allergy is determined, the patient should avoid the suspicious spice and may need to take medication for his/her complaints. Especially patients at risk of anaphylactic shock should have self-injectable epinephrine with them.
If spices that cause spice allergy are detected, their use should be strictly avoided. Be careful about packaged foods and eating in restaurants
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