Aubergine allergy and severe reactions in one man
What it found
A 27-year-old man had a severe allergic reaction minutes after eating baked aubergine.
Doctors linked his symptoms to a plant protein allergy called LTP syndrome.
What they found
Studies in people
Severe reaction to aubergine
Minutes after eating baked aubergine, the man had trouble breathing and swelling of his face, lips and tongue. His heart rate reached 140 beats per minute and he lost consciousness.
Skin tests confirmed allergy
Skin tests were positive for both raw and cooked aubergine. The strongest reaction was to raw aubergine peel, measuring 30/30 mm.
Other foods also triggered reactions
Before the aubergine incident, the man reacted to seafood salad and spiced chicken. Exercise and alcohol made his symptoms worse.
Linked to LTP syndrome
Blood tests showed low levels of antibodies against plant proteins called lipid transfer proteins. These proteins are found in many fruits and vegetables, including peach and walnut.
Other findings
Aubergine allergens in peel
Earlier research mentioned in the paper found most aubergine allergens in the peel rather than the flesh. Some of these proteins survive cooking.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that the man has a severe food allergy to aubergine linked to LTP syndrome.
- They advise patients at risk of severe reactions to carry an adrenaline auto-injector, steroids and antihistamines.
- The authors recommend avoiding trigger foods and note that peeling fruit may not prevent reactions when other factors like exercise are involved.
How it was done
Allergic reactions to aubergine are rare and usually mild. The authors wanted to describe an unusual case of a severe reaction to this vegetable.
Doctors examined a 27-year-old man who had repeated severe allergic reactions after meals. They used skin tests and blood tests to find out what caused them.
What it can’t tell you
- This report describes only one person. It cannot show how often aubergine causes severe allergic reactions in the general population.
- A single case cannot prove that aubergine will cause problems for other people with similar allergies.
The paper
- Title
- Recurrent anaphylaxis in patient allergic to eggplant - a Lipid transfer protein (LTP) syndrome
- Type
- Case report
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Ukleja-Sokołowska N, Gawrońska-Ukleja E, Żbikowska-Gotz M, Sokołowski Ł, Bartuzi Z (2018). Recurrent anaphylaxis in patient allergic to eggplant - a Lipid transfer protein (LTP) syndrome. Asian Pacific journal of allergy and immunology. doi:10.12932/AP0846Free full textPubMed 29161052DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error