Symptoms
- itchy throat
- itchy mouth
- itchy lips
Common triggers (allergens)
- fruits (e.g. apple, pear, cherry, peach, plum, apricot, kiwi)
- vegetables (e.g. carrots, raw potato, celery)
- nuts and beans (e.g. peanut, soybean, hazelnut, almond and walnut)
Why do I have symptoms?
Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) can occur in pollen allergic individuals, when eating certain fruits, vegetables, nuts or beans. The symptom appears due to the fact that pollens contain proteins of similar structure to those present in this particular food. This is called a cross-reaction.
OAS is thus not a separate food allergy, but rather represents cross-reactivity between pollen and certain fruits and vegetables. It is usually limited to ingestion of only uncooked fruits and vegetables.
Oral allergy syndrome in brief
Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) is common among pollen allergic patients. It is normally a temporary and relatively mild condition characterised by swelling, redness and itching of the mouth area. Occasionally, also the eyes are affected.