Scientists identify eight emerging allergens linked to anaphylaxis risk

Researchers have identified eight allergenic foods not currently subject to mandatory labeling in the EU that are frequently involved in anaphylaxis cases. They recommend four of these — goat’s and sheep’s milk, buckwheat, peas-lentil, and pine nut — for inclusion on the EU’s list of regulated allergens due to their severity, recurrence, and potential for hidden exposure.

Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs rapidly after exposure to an allergen. It can cause symptoms like difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat, hives, low blood pressure, and even loss of consciousness.

The study notes that the incidence of food-induced anaphylaxis (FIA) has increased in recent years in countries like the US, Australia, and the UK. In the US, the lifetime prevalence is 1.6% to 5.1%. Peanuts are the primary trigger in children, while the European Anaphylaxis Registry also highlights cow’s milk, cashew, hen’s egg, and hazelnut as major allergens.

“In our series of nearly 3,000 food anaphylaxis cases, 413 were caused by one of these eight ‘emerging food allergens’ without mandatory labeling, with two deaths,” says Dominique Sabouraud-Leclerc, MD, of CHU Reims, France, which conducted the study.

“We therefore believe it is time to review the list of the 14 foods with mandatory labeling to include at least the most severe of these emerging food allergens.”

Analyzing food-induced anaphylaxis

The study, published in Clinical & Experimental Allergy, analyzed food-induced anaphylaxis cases reported to the Allergy Vigilance Network from 2002 to 2023. 

The eight foods linked to more than or equal to 1% of cases but not included on the current EU list were goat’s and sheep’s milk (2.8%), buckwheat (2.4%), peas and lentil (1.8%), alpha-gal (1.7%), pine nut (1.6%), kiwi (1.5%), beehive products (1.0%), and apple (1.0%).

The findings highlight recurrence rates or repeated reactions to the same food in the same individual, ranging from 7.3% for peas-lentil to 56% for goat’s and sheep’s milk.