Spice allergies are rare, accounting for about 2 percent to 4 percent of food allergies. Often, a reaction to a spice happens because of food intolerance that causes irritation. If you’ve had reactions to spices, it’s important to talk to your health care provider about your allergy symptoms.

Spices come from flavorful and aromatic parts of plants, such as seeds, bark, roots, flowers, fruits, and leaves. Spices made from non-woody plants are commonly known as herbs.

Spice sensitivity is a topic that many MyFoodAllergyTeam members have discussed.

“Has anyone had reactions to spices?” one team member asked. “I went to dinner and my food was prepared safely, but when I got home, I began to itch. No welts or rashes, just horrible itching. Is anyone else having issues with spices, and is this a normal reaction? I have no spice allergies that I know of, but with 32 food allergies, anything is possible.”

“I am very sensitive to spices,” another member said. “But I’m getting used to eating food without them.”

If you or your child has food allergies and you have questions about spice allergy, read on to learn more.

Spice Allergy or Spice Intolerance?

Spices are plant-based foods that can sometimes cause allergies. An allergic reaction happens when the immune system overreacts to a substance that comes into contact with the body.

For people with an allergy, a food allergen causes the body’s immune system to produce antibodies such as immunoglobulin E (IgE) to fight the substance. Allergic reactions release histamine and other inflammatory substances, causing inflammation and allergy symptoms. In serious cases, allergic reactions can lead to anaphylaxis, which may trigger hives, wheezing, and trouble breathing. Anaphylaxis is life-threatening and requires immediate treatment with epinephrine.

A spice intolerance may cause coughing, a skin rash in the area where it touched, or stomach upset. For people with asthma, for instance, black pepper may cause coughing that can trigger an asthma attack. However, unlike allergies, a spice intolerance does not trigger the immune system.

Symptoms of food allergies tend to come on suddenly, while symptoms of food intolerance may take hours to appear.

If you experience itching in your mouth, it may be due to cross-reactivity to pollen allergens from the plant the spice comes from, rather than the spice itself. Discuss any adverse reactions with your doctor to determine whether you’ve had an allergic reaction.

Spice Linked To Allergic Reactions

Although spice allergies are rare, they are gaining attention as more people experience anaphylaxis from food allergies. There are rare case reports of spice allergy causing anaphylaxis from spices such as caraway seed, cayenne pepper, coriander, cumin, oregano, and thyme. Sesame (or sesame seeds), which is considered a major food allergen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), can be found in many spice mixtures, such as za’atar, a Middle Eastern spice mix.

Immunology research has found potential allergens in spices from the Apiaceae family of aromatic and flowering plants. Spices from this family of plants, particularly anise, dill, cumin, fennel, and coriander, have proteins linked to allergies. One study found that people with allergies to celery, carrots, birch pollen, or mugwort may be particularly sensitive to Apiaceae spices. Caraway and parsley, also from the Apiaceae family, have also been found to contain potential allergens for people who are allergic to birch pollen, celery, or mugwort.

Another study showed that more than 50 percent of people with allergies to dust mites, birch, mugwort, or grass pollen had positive skin prick tests for spices like rosemary, basil, mustard, caraway, anise, and mint. Children with pollen allergies were more sensitive to herbs than adults.

If you have pollen allergies, talk to your allergist about possible allergens in spices.

Spice Labeling on Food Packaging

Spice can be hard to identify in packaged or prepared foods. Spice is sometimes called a “hidden allergen” because it is not always listed clearly on food package labels. It’s common for ingredient lists on food labels to simply state “spice,” without specifying the exact ingredients.

One MyFoodAllergyTeam member wrote, “The word ‘spices’ appears on the labels of different products I've bought. We do our best to research everything, but sometimes allergens sneak through the cracks anyway, because of hidden ingredients.”

Spice may not always be obvious as a possible allergen or irritant, especially when you’re focused on other main ingredients that could trigger an allergic reaction.

“I ate something I'm allergic to but didn't know it from the ingredients,” another member shared. “I got violently ill from it, and now I wonder what those spices contain, since the other ingredients were not allergens.”

Certain allergens, including spices and other ingredients like onion powder, garlic powder, and celery powder, may also hide under food labels that say “spices,” “seasoning,“ or natural flavoring.” If you’re allergic to food items that are sometimes used for flavoring, it’s important to be cautious when you see these nonspecific terms.

“It’s so frustrating when you look at an ingredient list and it just says ‘other spices,’” said a team member. “One of the ‘other spices’ in a food item I purchased was celery, which I’m severely allergic to. When I opened it, I had trouble breathing.”

Diagnosing Spice Allergy or Sensitivity

If you think you may be allergic to a particular spice, be sure to talk to your doctor, allergist, or immunologist about spice allergy testing. Keeping a food diary can be helpful to track your reactions to different foods, especially if you’ve been having sensitivities to foods that don’t typically affect you.

Your health care provider may want to test you for a spice allergy with a skin prick test. This test can show whether your immune system produces allergic antibodies in response to a specific spice. Another method for determining a spice allergy is an oral food challenge, also known as a feeding test. In an oral food challenge, your doctor supervises you while you eat a potential food allergen. Oral food challenges should only be conducted by experienced doctors.

Managing a Spice Allergy

If you have a spice allergy or sensitivity, avoid any spice that might trigger you. If you or your child tests positive for a spice allergy, talk to your doctor about treatment options. You’ll need to have a food allergy plan ready in case you’re accidentally exposed to an allergen and have a severe allergic reaction. If this happens, you may need to use an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen).

For less severe spice allergies, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter antihistamines, corticosteroids, immunotherapy, or other medications depending on your condition.

Here are steps you can take to avoid accidental exposure to a spice that may trigger a reaction:

• Always read ingredient lists carefully.
• Avoid products that include “spices,” “natural flavoring,” or “seasoning” in their ingredient list.
• Stick to individual spices you know are safe, rather than spice blends or seasoning mixes.
• Make sure anyone preparing food for you or your child is aware of your food allergies.
• Recognize the symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, such as hives, shortness of breath, itchy throat or mouth, and swelling, and be sure people close to you or your child know them, too.

For some people with spice allergies, preparing food themselves may be the safest option. “I find it easier to cook for myself than worry about what someone puts in my food. I haven’t been to a restaurant in years. I have too many allergies to spices commonly used in food,” wrote a MyFoodAllergyTeam member.

Find Your Team

MyFoodAllergyTeam is the social network for people with food allergies and their loved ones. On MyFoodAllergyTeam more than 41,000 members come together to ask questions, share advice, and connect with others who understand life with food allergies.

Are you sensitive to any spices? Have you been tested for a spice allergy? Share your experience with others in the comments below or by posting on your Activities page.