Contact allergy to spices

TLDR

A cohort of 103 patients suspected of contact allergy was tested with the European standard series and a range of spices, and 32 patients with positive reactions to known spice‑related indicators were compared to 71 indicator‑negative patients. In the indicator‑positive group, 47 % reacted to at least one spice versus 15 % in the indicator‑negative group, with nutmeg, paprika, and cloves being the most common allergens and fragrance‑mix identified as a key indicator, especially for these spices.

Abstract

A group of 103 patients suspected of contact allergy was tested with the European standard series, wood tars and spices: paprika, cinnamon, laurel, celery seed, nutmeg, curry, black pepper, cloves, white pepper, coriander, cacao and garlic. 32 patients (Group I) were selected on the basis of positive tests to one or more of possible indicators for allergy to spices: colophony, balsam of Peru, fragrance-mix and/or wood tars. 71 patients (Group II) showed no response to these indicators. In Group I (n = 32) a statistically significantly higher % of patients (47%) showed positive reactions to 1 or more spices, compared with 15% in Group II (N = 71). Among the spices, the highest numbers of reactions were found to nutmeg (28%), paprika (19%) and cloves (12%) in the indicator-positive Group I. Fragrance-mix turned out to be a particularly important indicator allergen, especially for paprika, nutmeg and cloves. The contact allergy in 11 out of 32 (Group I) and 7 out of 25 patch-tested patients (recruited from Group II) appeared to be directed mainly against the ether-extractable volatile fractions of the spices.