celery
Although celery is healthy for most of us, it appears on the list of the 14 main allergenic foods in the European Union – because celery and celeriac, which are known to improve the taste of foods such as soups, may hide in many foods marketed in France, Germany and Switzerland.
Sesame
In recent years, more and more people in the world are allergic to sesame. Beyond the presence of sesame in foods such as tahini and halva, sesame seeds are often sprinkled on rolls, crackers, and also hummus or sesame oil that is widely used in Asian cuisine.
soya
Soy is one of the more common allergens in Europe (after milk, eggs and nuts). It comes in its natural form – soybeans or red beans – and is used in plenty of vegan foods produced from the fermentation process of soybeans such as soy milk, soy sauce, tofu, and more. Children are usually the ones who are allergic to soy, but some adults also have soy intolerance. An allergy to soy can be elusive because in some of the foods containing soy, the protein, which is actually the allergenic factor, works, so allergy symptoms will not be seen as after eating whole soybeans.
wine
People suffering from asthma may be sensitive to sulfites – these are chemical additives used to preserve food and beverages, and are found especially in foods that may turn brown in color, such as dried apricots, low-quality meats such as hamburgers and hot dogs, dried onions, lemon juice, white wine, and more. Sulfites may cause symptoms that are not typical of an allergy such as chest pressure, wheezing and nasal congestion, and the sensitivity to them cannot be detected by blood tests or a skin test. On the other hand, although the cause is still unknown, it has been found that they can cause anaphylaxis.
Red wine can also trigger an allergic reaction, not necessarily due to the presence of sulfites, but because it contains histamine – the chemical that the body produces in an allergic reaction – so it may cause symptoms that mimic an allergic reaction. There are also people allergic to alcohol or grapes, but allergy experts report that there is a decrease in the number of patients suffering from sensitivity to sulfites (the reason for this could be that the use of these substances is decreasing).
mustard
The mustard is a popular spread in France. Therefore, mustard allergy among the French is much more common, but there are also cases of mustard allergy in Israel. However, mustard is not only found in mustard spreads but is also present as mustard seeds in curry sauce, marinades and various sauces. People can be allergic to mustard without knowing it: they can, for example, eat a salad that has a mustard ingredient in its dressing, and mistakenly think they are allergic to tomato or another ingredient in the salad.
fish
A fish allergy may develop during adolescence and can cause a severe allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to this food. In cases where fish is not frozen or stored properly, histamine can be released which can cause poisoning with symptoms such as rash, flushing and vomiting. The allergy is mainly common due to eating dark fish such as tuna and mackerel, which naturally contain a high level of histamine. Of course, in order to avoid this, you must make sure to purchase fresh fish as much as possible.
lupine
The lupine is from the legume family, and like soybeans and peanuts, it is rich in protein. Lupine protein, also called LUPIN, is widely used in the food industry – in breads, pastries and pasta as a substitute for gluten or soy. Because its composition is similar to peanuts, those suffering from an allergy to peanuts may also react in a similar way to lupine or flour containing lupine.
There are many foods for which the fear of allergy does not require the manufacturers to indicate this on the packaging, but nevertheless allergy experts report cases of allergies to bananas, chickpeas, buckwheat, lentils and also kiwi.