Allergic reactions to garlic and onion in allergy clinic patients
What it found
In 8109 people visiting an allergy clinic, 27 had a confirmed allergic reaction to garlic or onion.
That was about three out of every hundred patients who already reacted to foods.
What they found
Studies in people
How many reacted
Out of 8109 patients, 2508 had symptoms linked to eating food. Among those, 924 had a confirmed food allergy, and 27 reacted specifically to garlic or onion.
Rate among food-allergic patients
Garlic or onion caused the allergy in 2.92% of the patients with a confirmed food sensitivity.
Which protein triggered it
Blood tests showed the reactions were tied to a specific protein called LTP found in these bulbs.
No cross-reaction seen
This bulb protein did not cross-react with similar proteins from peach or wheat, which are common in Mediterranean diets.
What the authors conclude
- They say allergic reactions to garlic and onion should not be underestimated given how much people eat them.
- The authors advise adding these bulbs to standard food allergy test panels.
How it was done
China and Spain eat the most edible bulbs like garlic and onion, but little is written about them causing allergies. The authors wanted to measure how often allergic patients react to these foods.
They tested 8109 patients of all ages at an allergy clinic during 2018. They used skin prick tests, blood tests for specific antibodies, and oral challenges when needed. In total they ran 356,798 skin tests and 4254 blood tests.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This study only looked at people already visiting an allergy clinic.
- It cannot show how common these reactions are in the general public.
- Because it observed people at one point in time, it can only describe links rather than prove causes.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Valladolid University/Hospital Universitario Rio Hortega, Spain; DIATER laboratories, Spain; Valladolid University, Spain
The paper
- Title
- Allergic hypersensitivity to garlic and onion in children and adults
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Armentia A, Martín-Armentia S, Pineda F, et al (2020). Allergic hypersensitivity to garlic and onion in children and adults. Allergologia et immunopathologia. doi:10.1016/j.aller.2019.06.005PubMed 31477394DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error