Report of the Scientific Committee of AESAN in relation to the risk associated with the consumption of certain potentially allergenic fruits and vegetables

Food allergies are an important public health problem with an increasing prevalence in the population and have a significant impact on the lives of allergic patients and their families.The Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) has re-viewed and compiled the available information on those food allergens that are not declarable but that could be relevant in Spain, in particular, fruits of the Rosaceae family, legumes, kiwi and pine nuts, in order to support, in the event that the review of declarable allergens in the European Union is addressed, their inclusion in said list, if relevant.

Rosaceae fruits are a diverse family of economically significant temperate crops, including apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries, apricots, almonds, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.

The Scientific Committee of the AESAN concludes that Rosaceae allergy is one of the most frequent among patients suffering from food allergy, representing, in Spain, approximately 23.6 % of the diagnosed food allergy reactions. Of particular importance is peach allergy, followed by apple allergy; and, in terms of symptom severity, allergic reactions to Rosaceae are related to a high frequency of anaphylaxis. With regard to legume allergy (without taking into account peanuts or soybeans), it has been noted that it affects approximately 7 % of the Spanish population with food allergies, with lentils being the most implicated legume, and that they can produce serious symptoms, such as anaphylaxis. Furthermore, kiwi allergy is a major paediatric allergy and is associated with severe gastrointestinal symptoms and anaphylaxis. And finally, pine nut allergy is not a very common food allergy, although it has been found to be related to a high probability of developing anaphylaxis at low food concentrations.

The document can be accessed here.