Sesame Allergy

Sesame is the newest allergen to be recognized by the FDA as one of the top nine food allergens in the United States. The prevalence has grown, and the need for sesame to be labeled on products has been proven.

Sesame is a seed with a nutty taste, often made into other forms like sesame oil, sesame paste and is used in many different foods around the world.

Like with other food allergies, reactions to sesame can range from person-to-person, and reaction-to-reaction. For example, while someone may experience hives after one exposure, it doesn’t mean that a more serious reaction like anaphylaxis couldn’t happen after the next exposure.

To avoid reactions, those who are allergic must avoid foods like contain sesame, including:

• Hummus
• Sushi rolls
• Falafel
• Tahini
• Asian cuisine
• Chips
• Seasonings
• Buns and bagels.

They should also carry an epinephrine auto injector in case of life-threatening reactions.

Food allergies are unpredictable and can be scary, so providers at AAOL recommend allergy drop treatment for many of their food allergic patients. Following The La Crosse Method™ Protocol, allergy drops slowly and safely train the body to not react when exposed to sesame, and other identified allergens.

To begin, your provider will complete a thorough exam and history, and then conduct allergy testing. A blood or skin test will show precisely how allergic you are to sesame, and your allergy drop immunotherapy will be formulated based on those precise results. Your drops will contain enough of the allergens to help build tolerance, but not too much to cause reactions.

As you go on with treatment, the amount of allergen in each dose is slowly increased until the body learns not to react when exposed to sesame. For some, this is enough for folks to be able to reintroduce sesame and other problem foods back into their diets. For others, it adds a layer of safety if accidentally exposed.