Jul 30, 2009 9:20 pm US/Central
Allergic Reactions To Produce On The Rise
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS) ―
Doctors are reporting an alarming jump in allergic reactions to fresh produce, CBS station KPIX-TV reports. The reaction is called Oral Allergy Syndrome or OAS for short. The syndrome occurs primarily in people with pollen allergies.
San Francisco's Ferry Building is home to a farmer's market, where foodies gather and nosh. But when anyone here asks about food allergies, most think about peanuts, milk, soy, even seafood.
Tom Sullivan remembers his bout with a flounder.
"I had a flare up one time with fish and I broke out and starting puffing up, including my lips and everything," he said.
However, doctors are reporting an alarming jump in allergic reactions to fresh fruits and vegetables. Salman Bokhar used to eat lots of plums when he was a kid, but he no longer can after an allergic reaction.
"You know when you can't breath, it's the most horrible feeling in the world." said Bokhari.
The body's immune system starts to mistake proteins found in fresh produce for the proteins found in pollens. Some people who are allergic to ragweed can become allergic to fruits like melons and bananas. If you are allergic to grass, you may begin to have a problem with tomatoes and oranges. And if you're allergic to birch pollen, you can become allergic to potatoes, carrots, celery and even apples.
A recent report found a four-fold increase in hospital admissions in young children with the syndrome. Some allergists believe what is happening could be the plant's way of coping with things such as climate change or pesticides.
"There's something different in the environment that has caused these changes in the plants and the fruits and vegetables," said Dr. Mary Kay Tobin, an allergist with the Rush University Medical Center.
If you have the syndrome, and eat fruits and vegetables, the symptoms include itching and burning in the mouth or on the tongue or lips.
Cooking produce or buying organic may help, according to some experts.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Stumble It!
Comments