Dietary allergy to wheat

Much of the research on adverse reactions to wheat has focused on respiratory allergy (bakers' asthma resulting from the inhalation of flour and dust during grain processing) which is one of the most important occupational allergies in many countries and on coeliac disease. Dietary allergy to wheat is probably less widespread in the general population but may affect 1% of children and in its extreme form may lead to anaphylaxis and death.

An article recently published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Allergy reviews the current knowledge of those cereal proteins responsible for dietary and respiratory allergy to wheat in relation to their structures and biological properties.

The review provides a thorough look at the chemistry of cereal proteins that have been found to be involved in wheat allergy, as well as the effects of food processing methods such as heating, enzymic digestion and malting and brewing. While the proteins in wheat which are responsible for dietary allergy are less clearly defined than those contributing to bakers' asthma, recent studies indicate there are important similarities and differences between the two conditions.

Several conclusions are highlighted at the end of the review: the gluten proteins appear to be more important in food allergy and less so in bakers' asthma; many of the most active proteins belong to a large group of prolamin storage proteins of cereal grain; all of those proteins which can be considered to be major allergens have storage and/or protective functions, although some metabolic proteins have been identified as minor allergens.

Reference: Clin Exp Allergy. 2008 Sep 24. (Published online ahead of print; contact the Allergen Bureau for more information about this review article).