Case series uncovers cross-reactivity between chia, sesame seeds
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SAN ANTONIO — The incidence of allergy to chia seed obtained from Salvia hispanica seems to be increasing, with co-sensitization to sesame, according to data presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting.
“The consumption of chia seed as a health food has increased in recent years,” Prudhvi Regula, MD, an allergy and immunology fellow at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, said during his presentation.
Although literature on chia seed allergy and its cross-reactivity with other foods has been limited, Regula continued, he and his colleagues at his medical center have noticed increasing reports of IgE-mediated allergic reactions to chia seed consumption.
“So, we reviewed medical records of patients seen at our allergy-immunology clinic who have reported allergic reactions to chia seeds,” Regula said.
The researchers identified seven patients with a convincing clinical history of immediate hypersensitivity to chia seeds. All the patients were female and Hispanic. One patient was aged 5 years, and the others were aged 40 to 67 years.
Five of the adult patients had allergic rhinitis, including one who also had asthma, and the sixth did not have any allergic comorbidities. Additionally, the child had atopic dermatitis.
The child’s allergic reaction included facial hives and swelling around the eyes. The allergic reactions among the adults included shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, oropharyngeal itching, generalized hives, lip swelling and throat swelling.
“Two patients developed anaphylaxis requiring epinephrine,” Regula said.
The researchers also offered prick-to-prick testing to chia seed for diagnostic evaluation. Three tests were performed, and all three were positive. Other allergy tests were performed as well.
“Three had confirmed sesame allergy, and three other patients had positive allergy testing to sesame awaiting further evaluation,” Regula said.
The child was allergic to sesame, mustard seed, banana and peanut. One of the adults was allergic to peanut and tree nuts in addition to the positive test for sesame. Another was allergic to fish and shellfish, and a third was allergic to banana.
Two of the other three adults were allergic to sesame, with a positive test for sesame allergy for the third, but none of them had any other food allergies.
The cross-reactivity to sesame among six of these seven patients indicated a need for further investigation in larger studies, Regula said.
“A previous study reported antibody cross-reactivity between proteins of chia seed and sesame seed,” Regula continued, “so further research is needed to characterize allergens in chia seed and its cross-reactivity with other foods.”