Fruit and vegies new allergy fear - National Rural News - Agribusiness and General - General - The Land
Allergy specialists in Britain say the alarming rise in fruit and vegetable allergies has mainly affected younger children.
Pamela Ewan, an allergy consultant at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, told the BBC that most patients suffered symptoms including swelling in the mouth and throat and breathing difficulties.
"We have seen a big rise in the number of cases in the past four to five years. It is a bit like the peanut allergy was the epidemic of the 1990s," she said.
"I think fruit and vegetables are becoming the epidemic now. In terms of numbers, fruit and vegetables are the new form of peanut allergy."
There has been an increase in adverse reactions to bananas and kiwi fruits, but peanuts and tree nuts remain the most common triggers for severe allergic attacks in Australia, according to Maria Said, president of Anaphylaxis Australia.