Latex Food Syndrome is also sometimes known as Latex Fruit Syndrome. When a person becomes sensitised to the allergens in latex they may also become sensitised to certain foods which contain similarly shaped proteins.

There are 15 allergens associated with allergy to latex plants. The plant involved in latex allergy Hevea brasiliensis , the rubber tree plant, have allergens called Hev b 6 which is a hevein and Hev b 11 which is a chitinase. These are the most likely culprits for severe latex allergy

Chitinase is the protein thought to cause most instances of Latex Food Syndrome.

Hevein is a related protein and may also have some role in the Latex Food Syndrome.

Hev b 8 in the rubber tree plant is a profilin protein. Those very sensitised to latex may have a contact allergic reaction from other foods or plants containing profilin proteins, there is less evidence of this than sensitisation to other latex linked proteins like hevein and chitinases, but it still has an important role in Latex Food Syndrome.

Those with a sensitivity to chitinase may have linked allergies to foods which contain high levels of chitinase like avocado, banana, chestnuts, mango, corn (maize), kiwi, papaya, pomegranate, tamarind, cashews, beetroot, chard, spinach and tomatoes.

Chitinase allergens can also affect the airways and can be found in coffee, cockroaches and dust mites.

Hevein proteins are found in rubber trees (as a contact allergen) and in turnip (as a food allergen).

Profilin proteins are found in many foods including, in the top 14 foods, celery, peanut, soyabeans, walnut, lupin, almonds, mustard and hazelnut all contain profilin proteins.

Fruits and vegetables containing these proteins are kiwi, pineapple, chilli, melon, orange, strawberry, lychee, apple, banana, aubergine (eggplant), peach, pear, tomato, dates, cherry and carrot.

Profilin proteins are also found in barley, sorghum and wheat.

These food lists are not exhaustive, the most up to date information is available on the Cross Reactivity Tool.

You can download a Latex Food Syndrome Factsheet from the Allergy Resources Ko-fi Shop for just $0.50 (£0.40 or €0.45). This has up to date information on which foods contain latex linked allergens and what to avoid if you think you have Latex Food Syndrome.

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