Cashew nut allergy, allergenic proteins and labelling needs
What it found
Cashew nuts can trigger severe allergic reactions in sensitive people, and three main allergenic proteins have been identified.
The number of cashew allergies appears to be rising in industrialised countries as more people eat them.
What they found
Studies in people
Severe allergic reactions
In people with a cashew allergy, eating the nut can trigger widespread immune responses such as anaphylaxis. These reactions often require hospital treatment and adrenaline injections.
Rising allergy rates
The number of people with cashew nut allergies appears to be growing in industrialised countries. This rise seems linked to higher consumption of the nut.
No cure available yet
There is currently no cure for cashew nut allergy or other food allergies. Doctors advise allergic patients to remove cashews from their diet entirely.
Other findings
Three major allergens found
Scientists have identified three groups of proteins in cashew nuts that cause allergic reactions. Two belong to the cupin family and one belongs to the prolamin family. All three are classed as major allergens.
Need for accurate labels
People with allergies must rely on correct food labels when buying processed products. Better testing methods have been developed to check whether labels accurately list cashew ingredients.
What the authors conclude
- They note that significant progress has been made recently in understanding cashew nut allergies.
- They highlight the importance of reliable testing methods so food labels can protect allergic consumers.
- The authors advise that strict avoidance remains the only option for people with this allergy.
How it was done
Cashew nuts are eaten widely around the world but can cause serious immune reactions in allergic people. Scientists wanted to gather recent findings on these allergies and how to detect the proteins responsible.
The authors gathered and examined published research on cashew nut allergies. They looked at the specific proteins that cause reactions and the methods used to test for them in food.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work gathers existing research rather than running new trials, so it cannot prove what causes the rise in allergies.
- Observing allergy trends over time can show a link between eating more cashews and rising allergy rates, but not a direct cause.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (from the PubMed record).
The paper
- Title
- Cashew Nut Allergy: Clinical Relevance and Allergen Characterisation
- 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
- Mendes C, Costa J, Vicente AA, Oliveira MBPP, Mafra I (2019). Cashew Nut Allergy: Clinical Relevance and Allergen Characterisation. Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology. doi:10.1007/s12016-016-8580-5PubMed 27585580DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error