Sesame is Now the 9th Most Common Food Allergy in US

In a study presented at AAAAI, researchers found that sesame is now the ninth most prevalent food allergy in the United States among both children and adults. 

Sesame allergies are similar to peanut allergies in that they can cause severe allergic reactions that can result in anaphylaxis. Currently, sesame is not listed as one of the major food allergens. It exists in a multitude of common food products in various forms; seeds, oils, and pastes are among its many forms. 

“It is important for consumers to be aware of sesame allergies,” said Ruchi S. Gupta, MD, MPH. “With evidence mounting that sesame allergy is on the rise, and can result in severe reactions, we are hopeful that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will take these data into account as they determine whether or not to add sesame to their list of major food allergens.”

The research presented at AAAAI consisted of data collected via a nationally-representative survey of over 50,000 US households, with responses for 78,853 children and adults. 

“Consumers must carefully read food labels. Sesame isn’t always listed, and may appear on food labels as other names, or even vague descriptions such as ‘natural flavoring’. If you suspect that you’ve experienced an allergic reaction to sesame, make sure to tell your physician so that you can receive the appropriate confirmatory testing, counseling, and if necessary, an epinephrine auto-injector you can use in the event of a future food-allergic reaction,” said Christopher Warren, PhD.

The results showed that 0.2% of children and adults in the United States are allergic to sesame. The highest rates found were observed among 18 to 29 year-olds, with the lowest rates for those older than 60 years. 

According to a press release from AAAAI, “Data collected from the survey also found that over half of individuals with a sesame allergy have received care in an emergency department for food allergy in their lifetime. Another 38% report at least one severe allergic reaction to sesame, with one in three reporting a sesame-allergic reaction that was previously treated with an epinephrine auto-injector. Approximately four in five sesame-allergic patients have additional food allergies.”

The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Ac of 2004 (FALCPA), an amendment to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, requires that food labels contain declarations if an ingredient that is or contains of the the “major food allergens” is present.

As of now, FALCPA only identifies eight foods or food groups as major allergens and to those who suffer from a sesame diet, the current rules do not stipulate sesame as part of that group. The current major allergens are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. 

While more than 160 foods have been identified to cause food allergies in sensitive individuals, explained by the FDA, the eight major food
allergens account for over 90% of all documented food allergies. For now, sesame is just outside that bracket, but the information presented at AAAAI could bring attention to the potential dangers of not labeling.—Edan Stanley