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Review
. 2024 Aug 25;14(9):898.
doi: 10.3390/jpm14090898.

IgE-Mediated Legume Allergy: A Pediatric Perspective

Carla Mastrorilli  1 , Fernanda Chiera  2 , Stefania Arasi  3 , Arianna Giannetti  4 , Davide Caimmi  5   6 , Giulio Dinardo  7 , Serena Gracci  8 , Luca Pecoraro  9 , Michele Miraglia Del Giudice  7 , Roberto Bernardini  8 ; Diagnostic Commission of the Italian Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (SIAIP)
Affiliations
Review

IgE-Mediated Legume Allergy: A Pediatric Perspective

Carla Mastrorilli et al. J Pers Med. .

Abstract

Legumes are an inexpensive and essential protein source worldwide. The most consumed legumes include peanuts, soybeans, lentils, lupines, peas, common bean and chickpeas. In addition, the food industry is growing interested in expanding the use of legumes to partially replace or substitute cereals. Legumes were described to cause IgE-mediated allergies, and their growing use may also increase the incidence of allergy. The epidemiology of legume allergy varies by region; peanuts and soybeans are the legumes most involved in food allergies in Western countries, whereas lentils, peas, and chickpeas are reported as culprit allergens mainly in the Mediterranean area and India. This review, edited by the Italian Society of Pediatric Allergology and Immunology, summarizes the scientific literature on legume allergy in children and proposes a diagnostic workup and therapeutic approach.

Keywords: IgE-mediated food allergy; anaphylaxis; cross-reactivity; legume allergy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Main taxonomic classes belonging to the order of Leguminosae.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Proposal of diagnostic and clinical workup in legume IgE-mediated allergy in children.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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