Sesame and other edible seeds: allergy reports and diagnosis
What it found
Allergy to sesame was the most reported among six common edible seeds, with an estimated prevalence of 0.1-0.2%.
Most published reports were single cases rather than large studies.
What they found
Studies in people
Sesame most reported
Allergy to sesame was reported more than allergy to the other seeds. Its estimated prevalence was 0.1-0.2%.
Other findings
Few large studies
Considering how widely these seeds are eaten worldwide, the number of published articles was relatively small. Most were case reports rather than large series.
Hard to identify culprit
Identifying the specific seed responsible is often not explored or is difficult to verify.
Diagnosis and challenge tests
A thorough history is important for suspecting seed allergy. Routine diagnostic procedures are of limited reliability, and verification by appropriate challenge tests matters.
Management
At present, management is basically dietary avoidance and the use of symptomatic medications, which may include epinephrine auto-injectors.
No immunotherapy studies
The authors did not encounter any well-designed studies on immunotherapy for seed allergy.
What the authors conclude
“Allergy to sesame was more reported than to other seeds, with an estimated prevalence of 0.1-0.2%.”
Also in their conclusions
- They hope the gap in immunotherapy research will be filled by the development of safe effective protocols in the near future.
- They stress the important role of a thorough history in suspecting seed allergy and the importance of verification by appropriate challenge tests.
How it was done
More seeds are being added to many foods, and reactions to them can be severe. Working out which seed caused a reaction is often not checked or is hard to confirm.
The authors searched English-language publications from January 1930 to March 2016 in PubMed and Google Scholar for reports on allergy to sesame, sunflower seed, poppy seed, pumpkin seed, flaxseed and mustard seed. They summarised the reactions, how people were exposed, the main allergens, and cross-reactivity with other seeds or foods.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a review of published reports, mostly single cases, so it cannot show how common these allergies are in the general population.
- It cannot show whether one seed allergy causes another, only that cross-reactivity has been reported.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Louisiana State University Health, USA
The paper
- Title
- Hypersensitivities to sesame and other common edible seeds
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Patel A, Bahna SL (2016). Hypersensitivities to sesame and other common edible seeds. Allergy. doi:10.1111/all.12962PubMed 27332789DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error