The primary symptom of such allergies is the Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS). Studies conducted on a group of people with such allergies show that those who are prone to seasonal allergies like hay fever are more likely to be sensitive to the red vegetable.
Heat renders the allergen inactive:
The common observation that people exhibit allergic symptom when tomato is eaten raw and feel normal when they eat cooked tomato is due to the fact that the allergen which is a protein in tomato is rendered inactive on heating. Thus the patient’s body does not recognize the allergen.
Causes:
According to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, a cross reactivity between the grass pollen and tomatoes is often responsible for the allergic symptoms to fresh tomatoes. In other words those individuals who are allergic to grass pollen may often be allergic to tomato, orange, melon and peaches. A general food allergy to tomatoes is a serious condition and affected people may experience symptoms all over the body or even anaphylaxis.
Symptoms of allergy:
Raw tomato induced allergy symptoms associated with OAS are short lived and studies on such patients show that they did not experience serious or long lasting effects when exposed to the allergen. Oral allergy symptoms are usually seen on the mouth, lips and tongue. There is mild or severe itching and irritation to the soft tissues. Swelling or blisters may be seen on lips making it very uncomfortable but such a condition may subside with in an hour or so. Difficulty in breathing or swelling in the throat could be considered as initial sign of anaphylaxis and requires immediate medical help. There could even be a whole body reaction in rare cases.
Precaution to be taken:
Chopping boards and knives used to prepare fresh salads often acts a source of the allergen, so take precaution to avoid cross contamination from raw tomato while eating outside. There are alert bracelets available with your doctors which state’s the allergy and treatment in the event of an allergic reaction.
Treatment:
Localized and mild reactions to tomatoes rarely require treatment or attention as the symptoms disappear on their own after some time. Rinsing the mouth with plenty of water removes any remaining tomato residue and cools the affected area. The patient with allergy to tomato and also those with a previous history of such episode better carry a shot of epinephrine to administer as an emergency treatment. Further advice from an allergist is advised.
It is always best to avoid eating any vegetable you are allergic to either in the raw form or in processed food stuffs, as lack of diagnosis and treatment of any condition at the right time can even prove life threatening.
