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Allergy & Asthma Advocate: Winter 2006
The buzz about wine and beer allergyBy Rita Gupta, MD and Iftikhar Hussain, MD, FAAAAI
There are many ingredients within wine and beer that can cause allergic reactions. Reactions may occur to ingredients used to make the alcohol or those used to preserve or enhance it. For example, the key preservative present in wine is sulfur dioxide. The FDA reports that 1 out of 100 people are sensitive to sulfites. It also reported that 5% of people who have asthma would have a serious reaction to sulfites. The use of sulfur dioxide is not modern technology. Dating back to the fifteenth century, wine traders burned sulfur candles in their wine barrels prior to filling them. It is naturally produced by wine yeast in small quantities during fermentation. However, the majority of sulfur dioxide is added into the alcohol. The sulfur dioxide has strong anti-bacterial properties that help prevent bacteria and yeast from growing in the wine and to permit a longer aging process. Sulfur dioxide is used as a preserving agent in many foods, including dried fruits, baked goods, condiments, canned foods, shellfish, frozen shrimp, canned tomatoes, frozen potatoes, and fruit juices. If you do not experience a reaction to these foods, it may be another ingredient in the alcohol that is causing the allergic reaction.
True allergic reactions following beer ingestion are uncommon. Beer may contain a variety of ingredients, including barley, corn, wheat, and rye that may precipitate an allergic reaction. People may experience worsening of their asthma, runny nose, runny eyes, and stuffy nose. If you feel that you are experiencing an allergic reaction to wine or beer, find out all the ingredients that are present in the beverage. Then, visit an allergist/immunologist and undergo skin testing to the available ingredients in the beverage. If the skin testing is negative, it is likely that you are intolerant to wine and beer. If the skin testing is positive, you should avoid food and drink that contain that specific ingredient. Working with an allergist/immunologist, the best qualified medical professional trained to manage the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of allergic diseases, will demonstrate improved outcomes and quality of life for people suffering from an allergic disease.
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The per capita consumption of wine in 2003 was 12 liters and beer was 2.18 gallons in 2001. Many people enjoy their meals accompanied by a glass of wine or beer. However, some of us are not so fortunate and find the negative side effects outweigh the pleasures. It is usually not the alcohol that produces the allergic reaction to the wine or beer. The other ingredients in the alcohol, such as yeast, sulfur dioxide, and additives are often the culprits. Reactions include hives, worsening of shortness of breath in an asthmatic, and skin rashes. Alcohol can cause a reddening of the skin due to dilating blood vessels, however this should not be mistaken as an allergy. 
Histamine is another ingredient that is found in alcoholic beverages. Bacteria and yeast in the alcohol generate it. Histamine is also found in aged cheese, tuna, and meat. Histamine is a naturally occurring amine released by the body during allergic reactions. The histamine content in alcohol is very small and even less is absorbed when ingested. Excessive consumption of alcohol may cause a runny nose, stuffy nose, itchy, runny eyes, or worsening of one's asthma. Red wines often have a larger amount of histamines than white wines.