Spice allergy affects up to 3 percent of people and can seriously restrict their everyday activities, an expert says.
Spices are one of the most widely used products and are found in foods, cosmetics and dental products. Because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate spices, they often are not listed on food labels and are therefore difficult to identify and avoid.
Spice allergy is responsible for 2 percent of food allergies, but is under-diagnosed because there are not reliable allergy skin tests or blood tests, according to information presented Thursday at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Anaheim, Calif.
“While spice allergy seems to be rare, with the constantly increasing use of spices in the American diet and a variety of cosmetics, we anticipate more and more Americans will develop this allergy,” Dr. Sami Bahna, former president of the college, said in a college news release. “Patients with spice allergy often have to go through extreme measures to avoid the allergen. This can lead to strict dietary avoidance, low quality of life and sometimes malnutrition.”
In his presentation, Bahna noted that women are more likely to develop a spice allergy because spices are widely used in cosmetics. Makeup, body oils, toothpaste and fragrances can all include one or more spices.
Spice allergy triggers can include cinnamon, garlic, black pepper and vanilla. Some spice blends contain anywhere from three to 18 spices, and the hotter the spice, the greater the risk for an allergy.
09/11/2012 : Health Magazine.
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