Allergies Food Allergies Symptoms Sesame Seed Allergy and Cross-Reactivity By Daniel More, MD 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 Updated on October 04, 2020 Medically reviewed by Corinne Savides Happel, MD Medically reviewed by Corinne Savides Happel, MD on September 15, 2020 LinkedIn Corinne Savides Happel, MD, is board-certified in allergies/immunology, with a focus on allergic skin disorders. She is a part-time assistant professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Sesame seeds have been used for a variety of reasons for thousands of years. They are available in three different colors—white, black, and brown. Sesame seeds and the oil extracted from the seeds are commonly used in recipes; sesame oils are found in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Matilde Gattoni / Getty Images What Is Sesame Allergy? Allergy to sesame is not a new problem. Though it was first described in 1950, it seems to be a growing problem. A recent study showed that sesame allergy was the fourth most common food allergy in Australian children, behind egg, milk, and peanut. Another recent study showed that sesame allergy in Israeli children is more common than peanut allergy, and only milk and egg allergy are more common food allergies. Sesame allergy can affect people of all ages. In some cases it is outgrown, while in others it persists. The symptoms of sesame allergy can include urticaria/angioedema, allergic rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, oral allergy syndrome, and even anaphylaxis. Other people have experienced contact urticaria (hives) as a result of direct exposure to cosmetics or pharmaceutical products containing sesame allergens. Does Sesame Allergy Place a Person at Risk for Other Food Allergies? Because sesame allergens are similar in biochemical structure to peanut allergens, people with sesame allergy are at risk for having allergic reactions as a result of eating peanuts, and vice-versa. This is known as cross-reactivity — when one substance is similar to another and the immune system treats them both the same. There also appears to be cross-reactivity between sesame allergens and rye, kiwi, poppy seed, and various tree nuts (such as hazelnut, black walnut, cashew, macadamia, and pistachio). People with sesame allergy should talk with their physicians about which other food they may need to avoid. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get one simple hack every day to make your life healthier. 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. Gangur V, Kelly C, Navuluri L. Sesame Allergy: A Growing Food Allergy of Global Proportions. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2005;95:4–11.