Fruit Allergy Testing

Stone fruits can cause a range of allergic reactions. Whilst usually mild, severe reactions can include anaphylaxis.

Overview

What is a stone fruit allergy?

Stone fruit allergies can be tricky, complex problems. As the name suggests, they include fruits that contain stones (peaches, cherries, plums etc), but they also include fruits that do not (strawberries, apples, raspberries).

The reason so many fruits can cause a reaction is that many of them are related to one plant family: the rose (or rosaceae). If you are allergic to a peach, you’ll frequently find your allergy extends to apricots, plums, cherries and more, because many of the compounds that can trigger a reaction are shared across all members of the rosaceae family.

Complicating things still further is hay fever. If you are allergic to birch tree pollen, you’ll likely find that you are also allergic to some fruits and vegetables that share similar proteins to that pollen (e.g. apples). Such an allergy usually (although not exclusively) affect the mouth, lips and throat, which is why it is known as oral allergy syndrome. If you suffer a reaction when eating some fruits, it could be a stone fruit allergy or a pollen allergy.

If, therefore, you test negative for a stone fruit allergy but still experience a reaction when eating some fruits, our allergic rhinitis test may identify a pollen rather than stone-based allergy.

What are the symptoms of stone fruit allergy?

Oral allergy syndrome (i.e. a pollen-related allergy) will, as the name suggests, trigger itching and swelling in the mouth, lips and throat. Symptoms are usually mild but can also include itchy skin, rashes, asthma and allergic rhinitis. Rarely, the condition can lead to anaphylaxis. Where the allergy is to the stone fruit itself, rather than the pollen, symptoms may include all of the above, but may also include digestive problems such as stomach pain or cramps, vomiting or diarrhoea.

In the most severe cases, a stone fruit allergy can trigger anaphylaxis. This combination of breathing difficulties and feeling faint is commonly called anaphylactic shock and it can be fatal if left untreated. If you suspect anaphylaxis, dial 999.

Treatment

The simplest ‘treatment’ is to avoid stone fruit. If your allergy is pollen rather than stone-related, then the heat involved in cooking or baking can usually destroy the allergens (which is why you’ll be fine to eat apple pie, but not apples).

In contrast, a stone fruit allergy may affect you whether the fruit is cooked or not.

If you are at risk of a serious allergic reaction, talk to your GP about carrying an adrenaline auto-injector, which can help reduce the severity of an anaphylactic reaction.

How do I get tested?

Better2Know’s stone fruit allergy testing covers a wide range of fruits including:

• Almond
• Apple
• Apricot
• Cherry
• Peach
• Pear
• Plum
• Raspberry
• Strawberry

The simple blood test results in a positive or negative result.

You can check your susceptibility to birch pollen (and therefore to oral allergy syndrome) here.

To book your test contact Better2Know now on the number above.