Cereal Allergens

Wheat, maize, and rice are the most widely consumed food grains in the world. It is unsurprising, therefore, that they are associated with both food intolerances (wheat and rice) and allergies (all). Two types of wheat allergy, bakers' asthma and wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis, are well characterized in relation to the allergens that elicit an allergic response. Wheat allergy and contact dermatitis, however, exhibit a wide range of allergens that will elicit a response. As patterns of cereal consumption change, so do the patterns of allergy and intolerance. For example, increasing wheat consumption in Eastern Asia has led to a rise in wheat-related intolerances and allergies in wheat-consuming populations.