There is considerable sesame food allergy morbidity because of inconsistent allergen labeling, according to a study published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Kim Nguyen, MD, and colleagues assessed allergic reactions associated with accidental oral exposure to sesame in a review of 360 clinical reactions in 327 individuals. Anaphylaxis occurred in 68.9% of reactions, with hospitalization occurring in 47.8% of events and epinephrine administered in 36.4% of cases. A packaged food product was involved in 67.5% of events, with only 43.8% of these products using the term “sesame” on their labeling. In 46.0% of products that did not include sesame labeling, an alternate name was noted, most often tahini. “Sesame is the ninth most common childhood food allergy in the United States, yet many people don’t recognize it on food labels, or it’s missing entirely,” a coauthor said in a statement. “ Because the word ‘sesame’ is often not used on labels, accidents happen at a greater rate.”
Unclear Labeling Tied to Sesame Food Allergy
