Mustard is widely used all over the world as a condiment, sauce, or flavoring in certain dishes. It may seem harmless but there are people out there who have allergic reactions to the content of mustard, especially from the seeds used to make the product. In a mustard allergy, the individual’s body perceives the ingredient as a threat and produces IgE, an antibody that can trigger the body’s immune system.
Main Symptoms of Mustard Allergy
After intake of mustard, patients are observed to manifest the following symptoms:
- Itching at the palate
- Burning sensation of the lips
- Rash formation near the lips
- Rashes that may spread to the abdomen or back
- Difficulty breathing
- Vomiting
- Stomach cramping
- Swollen tongue
- Rapid breathing
- Hypotension
- Fainting or loss of consciousness
Treatment
- Administration of antihistamine and cortisoid creams to help alleviate allergic symptoms.
- For known allergic patients, an epinephrine pen or “epi pen” may be available on them which they can inject when situations turn severe.
- Possible hospitalization if the symptoms do not respond to immediate treatment.
Mustard Allergy Cross Reactivity
- Cross reactivity in mustard allergy is rare but it does happen.
- The same allergic reaction to mustard can be seen in patients eating peanut, gluten, or wheat.
- Other food items that come from the same family as mustard seeds also produce allergic cross reactions such as certain medications for cataplasms, all species of cabbage, all species of rapeseed, turnip, radish and certain processed foods including baby food.
- It is important for persons allergic to mustard to know the possible other food items they may be cross allergic to.