Allergies Understanding Mold, Food, and Penicillin Allergies By Daniel More, MD Daniel More, MD, is a board-certified allergist and clinical immunologist. He is an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine and currently practices at Central Coast Allergy and Asthma in Salinas, California. Learn about our editorial process Daniel More, MD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Keri Peterson, MD on January 02, 2020 facebook twitter linkedin Keri Peterson, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine and has her own private practice on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She holds appointments at Lenox Hill Hospital and Mount Sinai Medical Center. Learn about our Medical Review Board Keri Peterson, MD Updated on January 15, 2020 Print When mold fungus spores reach the air, they can cause a variety of allergy symptoms like a runny nose, itchy eyes, and coughing. While there are many different types of molds, one common indoor mold is Penicillium, which can cause nasal allergies and asthma in certain people. If you've been diagnosed with a Penicillium mold allergy, you might be wondering if that means you could have a penicillin allergy or food allergies too. xfotostudio / Istockphoto.com Mold Allergy vs. Penicillin Allergy Having a Penicillium mold allergy doesn't mean that you're allergic to the antibiotic penicillin. While penicillin was indeed originally developed from Penicillium mold, people with this specific mold allergy are not at any more risk of developing an allergy to this class of antibiotics than anyone else with a history of allergies. Risk factors that make it more likely to have a penicillin allergy include: Having a history of allergiesHaving a family history of drug allergyHaving had an allergic reaction to another kind of drugBeing exposed to high or prolonged doses of penicillinHaving an infection such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or Epstein-Barr virus, which can contribute to allergic drug reactions Modern-day penicillin antibiotics are produced synthetically and are not contaminated with mold particles. Allergy to Penicillin Drugs Mold Allergies and Food Allergies It is possible, however, to have related food allergies if you have a mold allergy. Penicillium can be found in certain aged and blue-veined cheeses, such as Roquefort and Camembert. There have been reports of food allergy reactions in Penicillium-allergic people who eat these cheeses and other foods with this mold. If you have an allergic reaction to mushrooms, it's more likely that it's from the mushrooms themselves, but symptoms of oral allergy syndrome have been reported in people with mold allergies who have eaten raw mushrooms. Yeast is another potential food allergen if you have a mold allergy. You may be wondering how a mold allergy can be related to a mushroom or yeast allergy. The answer is explained by a phenomenon called cross-reactivity. The Basics of Cross-Reactivity Cross-reactivity means that there are similar proteins shared between certain foods and certain molds. So if you're allergic to molds, you may very well react to foods like mushrooms that contain a similar protein. There is also ample scientific evidence suggesting cross-reactivity between different pollens and raw fruits and vegetables. Likewise, an allergy to latex can predispose people to certain food allergies (mostly fruits and nuts). Doctors have even named this condition the latex-food syndrome. A Word From Verywell The big picture here is that while a mold allergy may lead to a food allergy such as yeast or mushrooms, it doesn't mean you'll develop allergies to medications like penicillin. That being said, a history of allergies puts you at a higher risk of developing other allergies, so it is possible for you to have both an allergy to certain molds and a penicillin allergy, but the two are not interconnected—it's simply a coincidence. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. PennState Hershey Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Mold allergy. Updated June 29, 2012. Mayo Clinic. Penicillin allergy. Updated February 2, 2018. Lombardero M, Díaz-Donado C, Añibarro B, Núñez M, Barber D. Role of Penicillium molds in three cases of food allergy. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2005;115(2):S247-. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2004.12.998 Gabriel MF, González-Delgado P, Postigo I, et al. From respiratory sensitization to food allergy: Anaphylactic reaction after ingestion of mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). Medical Mycology Case Reports. 2015;8:14-16. doi:10.1016/j.mmcr.2015.02.003 Popescu F-D. Cross-reactivity between aeroallergens and food allergens. World Journal of Methodology. 2015;5(2):31-50. doi:10.5662/wjm.v5.i2.31.