Carmine allergy found without mite allergy in patients
What it found
In people tested for food additive allergy, skin reactions to carmine red (E120) often occurred without a reaction to mites.
Symptoms after eating carmine were not tied to having a mite reaction too.
What they found
Studies in people
Skin reactions to carmine
Positive skin prick test reactions to carmine were seen in 94 patients, which was 3.0% of those tested.
Mite reactions alongside carmine
Of the 94 patients with a positive carmine skin test, 74% also had positive skin prick test reactions to mites.
Shrimp reactions alongside carmine
Of the 94 patients with a positive carmine skin test, 22% also had positive skin prick test reactions to shrimp.
Symptoms after eating carmine
Symptoms linked to eating carmine were not dependent on also reacting to mites in 39 of the 94 patients, which was 42%.
What the authors conclude
“Allergic reactions to carmine are not dependent on concurrent reactivity to mites.”
Also in their conclusions
- They report that carmine sensitization without sensitization to mites is seen in one fourth of the patients.
- They state that allergic reactions to carmine are not dependent on concurrent reactivity to mites.
How it was done
Skin prick test reactions to carmine red (E120) have been reported alongside reactions to mites. The authors wanted to know how positive skin tests to carmine, carmine allergy and mite reactions relate to each other.
They studied 6,464 patients with suspected allergy to food additives. Of these, 3,164 were tested with carmine and 2,837 with shrimp. Symptoms after eating carmine were recorded at testing, and patients with a positive carmine skin test got a follow-up questionnaire 1 to 5 years later.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This study looked at skin prick test reactions and reported symptoms. It cannot show how often carmine causes a reaction when eaten in everyday amounts.
- The follow-up relied on patients reporting their own symptoms 1 to 5 years later.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Turku University Hospital, Finland
The paper
- Title
- Allergy to carmine red (E120) is not dependent on concurrent mite allergy
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Liippo J, Lammintausta K (2009). Allergy to carmine red (E120) is not dependent on concurrent mite allergy. International archives of allergy and immunology. doi:10.1159/000218121PubMed 19439984DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error