Teresa Dupay blog

Mustard Allergy, well I was surprised to see this on the allergen list. However, mustard allergy is considered as one of the common among all other food allergens. Toady is has become a serious growing concern among all countries especially in Europe. According to European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology of 2003 edition, has claimed that mustard allergy has become the most prevailing food allergen among children after, peanuts, eggs and milk.

Mustard belongs to the Brassicaceae family which is commonly used as a spice. In addition, mustard oil is also used for cooking purposes. Mustard seeds are often mixed with salt, water and wheat flour. Beside these, they are also available in seeds, flowers and leaves which also lead to mustard allergy.

Symptoms Of Mustard Allergy

It's symptoms can be seen rapidly, within a few minutes, but sometimes it can take a few hours to appear. Some of the mild symptoms of mustard allergy include itchy feeling in the mouth, nettle rash anywhere on the body. Whereas, some of its severe symptoms are difficulty in breathing, swelling in throat, face, asthma type symptoms and may even lead to the dramatic fall in blood pressure.

More Facts About Mustard Allergy

If mustard allergy is being suspected, then it is always a better idea to have tests and confirmed it as soon as possible. Medical attention is strongly needed to control this allergic reaction. The first line to defend mustard allergy is to completely avoid foods containing mustard or its properties. Go through the labels carefully before purchasing food products. While preparing food, whether in restaurants or at home, cross contamination may also occur through utensils and hands. It is really a challenging task but avoid it as much as possible. Most importantly if you do suffer from mustard allergy it is recommended that you carry with you at all times an auto injector device.

Products That Contain Mustard

There are hundreds of products that contain mustard. Here are just a few general ones to look out for; pickles, spices, dehydrated soups, sauces, some processed meats, curries and many more. Besides these, some other possible source of mustard includes dehydrated mashed potatoes, sprouted seeds, appetisers, the list goes on and on.

Another good tip about mustard allergy is the major allergy-inducing proteins in mustard are heat-resistant and are not greatly affected by food processing. Therefore people with mustard allergy will react to mustard in processed or heated meals. (Dominguez et al, 1990).

I am currently putting together a 'Mustard Allergy Report', which you will be able to download from our website, very soon.