Mustard allergy and hidden mustard in foods
What it found
Mustard can trigger allergic reactions, and it is often present in foods without being obvious.
The paper reports that mustard allergy is increasing, especially where people eat more of it.
What they found
Studies in people
Allergy on the rise
Mustard allergy has been reported for many years and is increasing gradually, especially in areas where consumption is higher. It may be considered among the most important food allergies.
Testing in anaphylaxis
Mustard sensitivity should be routinely tested in patients with idiopathic anaphylaxis for their safety.
Other findings
Hidden in foods
Mustard may be present as a hidden allergen in foods. It is important to recognize food products that may contain mustard because they may pose a risk for allergic individuals.
Allergens and cross-reactivity
The immune and biochemical features of known mustard allergens and their cross-reactivity with other food allergens are described.
What the authors conclude
“Conclusively, mustard sensitivity should be routinely tested in patients with idiopathic anaphylaxis for the safety of the allergic patients.”
Also in their conclusions
- They state that a better understanding of the underlying mechanism in mustard allergy is a prerequisite for the development of specific therapeutic procedures.
- They conclude that mustard sensitivity should be routinely tested in patients with idiopathic anaphylaxis for the safety of allergic patients.
How it was done
Mustard is widely used in foods to add flavor and nutritional value, which raises the chance of allergic reactions. Mustard allergy has been reported for many years and is increasing gradually.
The authors brought together relevant clinical studies on allergic reactions to mustard. They also reviewed what is known about the immune and biochemical features of mustard allergens and how they cross-react with other food allergens.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a review of existing studies, so it cannot prove that mustard causes allergic reactions in any one person.
- It cannot show how common mustard allergy is in the general population.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (from the PubMed record).
- Authors work at
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), India; Tulane University School of Medicine, USA
The paper
- Title
- A Comprehensive Review on Mustard-Induced Allergy and Implications for Human Health
- 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
- Sharma A, Verma AK, Gupta RK, Neelabh, Dwivedi PD (2019). A Comprehensive Review on Mustard-Induced Allergy and Implications for Human Health. Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology. doi:10.1007/s12016-017-8651-2PubMed 29159565DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error