Sunflower seed allergy in children at a specialist clinic
What it found
Most children tested for sunflower seed allergy did not react when they actually ate it under medical supervision.
When reactions did happen, some were severe enough to need adrenaline.
What they found
Studies in people
Blood test results
Out of 5008 patients checked at the clinic, 326 (7%) had blood tests for sunflower seed allergy. Doctors told 230 of them (71%) to avoid sunflower seeds.
Other allergies common
Nearly every child told to avoid sunflower seeds also had another food allergy. Tree nuts, sesame, and peanut were the most common ones.
Avoidance based on tests
Most children (77%) were told to avoid sunflower seeds because of positive test results. Only a smaller number avoided them because they had already reacted after eating them.
Supervised feeding tests
During 72 supervised feeding tests, 60 (83%) were negative and 10 (14%) were positive. Two tests (3%) gave unclear results.
Severe reactions possible
Four out of the 10 children who reacted during feeding tests needed adrenaline treatment. That is 40% of those who reacted.
Predicting a reaction
A past reaction to sunflower seeds and a larger skin prick test bump at the first visit predicted a positive feeding test. Recent skin prick tests or blood tests did not predict it well.
What the authors conclude
- They describe sunflower seed allergy as an emerging issue in children that can be severe and often appears alongside nut or seed allergies.
- They note that many children show signs of sensitivity on tests but do not actually react when eating the food.
- The authors suggest doctors should consider supervised feeding tests when deciding if a child truly has this allergy.
How it was done
Doctors noticed more reports of reactions to sunflower seeds in recent years. Very little was known about this allergy in children.
Researchers looked at records from a children's allergy clinic between March 2017 and September 2018. They found 326 children who had blood tests for sunflower seed allergy. They also reviewed 72 supervised feeding tests done between March 2019 and June 2023.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These findings come from one specialist children's clinic. They may not apply to all children or adults with sunflower seed concerns.
- Looking back at medical records can show links between test results and reactions. It cannot prove what causes an allergy to develop or go away.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, NY
The paper
- Title
- Sunflower Seed Allergy: Natural History, Oral Food Challenge Outcomes, and Review of the Literature
- 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
- Shah A, Patel N, Dehbozorgi S, Cox AL, Baker MG (2026). Sunflower Seed Allergy: Natural History, Oral Food Challenge Outcomes, and Review of the Literature. The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2026.03.032PubMed 41967675DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error