Spice Allergy

According to allergists at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, 2 to 3 percent of individuals in the world are living with a spice allergy.

Spices are one of the most difficult allergen to identify or avoid as they are widely used products in foods, cosmetics and dental products. Since they are not regulated by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, they often are not noted on food labels.

According to allergist Sami Bahna, "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." Having this type of allergy means you can never dine in restaurants, wear makeup, smell sweet perfumes or eat a large percentage of food we usually find on store shelves ! Overall, it can really decrease the quality of life and lead to strict dietary avoidance. In fact, the allergic reaction can be caused from breathing, eating or touching spices but the symptoms range from mild sneezing to a life-threating allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.

Common spice allergy triggers include cinnamon and garlic, but can range from black pepper to vanilla. Several spice blends contain anywhere from 3 to 18 spices, and the hotter the spice, the greater the chance for allergy. "Boiling, roasting, frying and other forms of applying heat to spices may reduce allergy causing agents, but can also enhance them depending on the spice".

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