Garlic is a bulb from a plant in the Amaryllidaceae family of plants. Other plants in this family include chives, leeks and onions.

A recent 2022 study has shown that garlic contains genes for the allergen thaumatin. This is a stable protein, meaning it is not damaged by heat or freezing, it is responsible for giving a food its sweetness.

Garlic is a well recognised cause of allergic contact dermatitis and urticaria. Patch testing using neat garlic can cause false-positive reactions because of diallyl disulfide which is found in the raw garlic bulb which acts as an irritant on the skin.

Diallyl disulfide is used as a garlic flavouring in food and garlic oil.

An allergy to garlic after ingestion is more commonly linked to Non-IgE allergy than a true IgE allergy. It is important if you think you are allergic to complete a food diary to ensure you are not eliminating large groups of food unnecessarily. There are tips on how to make a Food Diary here.

Garlic is one of the few fresh foods that contain a moderate amount of sulphites. Sulphites are inorganic salts used in preservations and have the potential to cause symptoms of food intolerance to those sensitive to sulphites, this food intolerance is more common in asthmatics. An improvement in symptoms can be made with a change to a low sulphite diet.

Garlic is a high FODMAP food. FODMAP stands for Fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. Foods high in FODMAPs can cause symptoms of food intolerance, affecting the gastro intestinal system and this can be mistaken for a true IgE food allergy.

Garlic is a food low in salicylates. Salicylates have the potential to cause gastrointestinal food intolerance symptoms in people who are sensitive to salicylates.

You can read more about Food Intolerances on the dedicated Food Intolerance Page.

There is no information on syndromes associated with garlic allergy.

Garlic is a plant in the Amaryllidaceae family of plants. Other plants in this family include chives, leeks and onions. If your allergy is severe these plants may also cause allergic reactions.

Other foods which contain thaumatin include apple, banana, peppers, celery, cherry, chilli, kiwi and peaches.

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