Despite being the ninth most prevalent food allergy in the United States, sesame allergies are probably less well-known than allergies to peanuts, shellfish, and lactose. To put this into perspective, a recent study found that at least one million Americans had a sesame allergy. Anaphylaxis from a sesame allergy can be lethal in severe circumstances. Other symptoms could include coughing, hives, nausea, vomiting, edema, and abdominal pain.
Despite the fact that the allergy is on the rise and is not yet classified as a "major food allergen," sesame can nevertheless mistakenly be consumed by consumers (which is commonly found in seeds, baked goods, oils, and pastes). Because of this, the senior author of the study, Dr. Ruchi S. Gupta, is hoping that the Food and Drug Administration will think about including sesame on its list of major food allergens. According to The New York Times, the federal government currently mandates that manufacturers inform consumers if a product contains the following allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and tree nuts.
Consumers need to be informed about sesame sensitivities. We hope the Food and Drug Administration will consider these findings when deciding whether or not to add sesame to their list of major food allergens given the accumulating evidence that sesame allergy is on the rise and can cause severe reactions. Dr. Gupta wants to emphasize the significance of following up with a doctor if you've suffered a response to a food because the study found that many people who reported symptoms of a sesame allergy were not properly identified. Before you spend the rest of your life avoiding a meal, it's crucial to get diagnosed if you eat it and experience a reaction. This way, you can be confident that the reaction is truly caused by an allergy to that food.
ZS DMO Karla P. Calapardo, RND
Reference:
