Allergy to celery
Question:
Reviewed: February 24, 2020
3/18/2014
In a patient who had anaphylaxis to celery, with a positive skin test, is there a cross reactivity with celery salt, celery root, celery seed, and with commercial products such as Old Bay seasoning which has these items in their ingredient list?
Answer:
Patients allergic to celery are clearly at risk of reacting to the salt, the tuber, and the seed. This reactivity would extend to any commercial product containing these ingredients (1-3).
Thank you again for your inquiry and we hope this response is helpful to you.
References:
1) Muhlemann RJ, Wüthrich B. Food allergies 1983-1987. [German] Schweiz Med Wochenschr 1991;121(46):1696-700.
2) Ballmer-Weber BK, Hoffmann A, Wüthrich B, Lüttkopf D, Pompei C, Wangorsch A, Kästner M, Vieths S. Influence of food processing on the allergenicity of celery: DBPCFC with celery spice and cooked celery in patients with celery allergy. Allergy 2002;57(3):228-35.
3) Pauli G, Bessot JC, Braun PA, Dietemann-Molard A, Kopferschmitt-Kubler MC, Thierry R. Celery allergy: clinical and biological study of 20 cases. Ann Allergy 1988;60:243-6.
Sincerely,
Phil Lieberman, M.D.