Poppy seeds make baked foods such as cakes, bread, and pastries. They give a nutty flavor to the food. Moreover, poppy oil is also used as edible oil. Although rare, poppy seeds do cause allergies. The allergy is caused when the immune system perceives the poppy seed protein as harmful and reacts against it.
Poppy seed and other associated allergies
Poppy seed allergy is closely related to other allergies. People with pollen and nut allergies have a high risk of being allergic to poppy seeds.
It has been found that people with an allergy to birch, Timothy grass, and mugwort pollen can develop an allergic reaction to poppy seeds. Similarly, people with rye flour and almond allergies can also be allergic to poppy seeds.
Poppy Seed Allergy Symptoms
The symptoms of an allergy range from mild oral reaction to severe anaphylactic reaction. Here are some of the common symptoms:
- Swelling of lips, tongue
- Itching around the mouth
- Hives and Itching
- Vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
In rare cases, these symptoms can progress to severe reactions such as dizziness, breathlessness, and low blood pressure. If this happens, the patient should be immediately administered epinephrine to prevent anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction)
Prevention and Treatment
To prevent the allergy, the individual should avoid baked foods which contain poppy seeds. One should be careful while eating pastries, cakes, and bread. Food cooked with poppy oil should also be avoided.
Poppy seed allergy can be detected with blood tests and skin tests. Once an allergy is tested, your allergist recommends antihistamines or other allergy medication to relieve the allergic symptoms. The individual should carry self-injectable epinephrine to prevent anaphylaxis.