01/15/2026
🧤 Latex Cross-Reactivity: What Your Food Reactions Might Be Telling You 🍌🥑
Latex allergy is more common than many people realize, and its effects may extend far beyond gloves or medical products.
📊 Up to 50–60% of individuals with a latex allergy also experience “latex-fruit syndrome,” a condition where the immune system reacts to certain fruits and vegetables due to shared protein structures.
🔬 Why does this happen?
Latex contains proteins that closely resemble proteins found in specific plant foods. When the immune system produces IgE antibodies to latex, those antibodies may also recognize similar proteins in foods, triggering cross-reactive allergic responses.
📚 What does the research show?
A 2004 study identified cross-reactivity between:
• Hev b 2, a major latex allergen
• L-ascorbate peroxidase, a bell pepper protein
Researchers also found that profilins (plant proteins involved in cell structure) play a key role in IgE-mediated cross-reactivity.
🥗 Latex Cross-Reactive Foods by Risk Level:
🔴 High likelihood
• Banana, Avocado, Chestnut, Kiwi
🟠 Moderate likelihood
• Apple, Carrot, Celery, Papaya, Potato, Tomato, Melons
🟢 Low or undetermined likelihood
• Pear, Mango, Sweet Pepper, Plum, Wheat, Shellfish, Cherry, Hazelnut, Sunflower Seeds, Pineapple, Walnut, Citrus Fruits, Strawberry, Soybean, Coconut, Fig, Peanut, Chickpea, Grape, Buckwheat, Castor Bean, Apricot, Dill, Passion Fruit, Oregano, Zucchini, Nectarine, Sage, Persimmon
⚠️ Important insight: A 2005 study from Japan showed that some individuals tested positive for latex-specific IgE and skin prick tests, yet reported no noticeable reactions to latex in daily life.
👉 However, those same individuals reacted to latex-cross-reactive foods.
🧠 What this means:
Food reactions may sometimes be the first visible clue of an underlying latex sensitization, even when latex exposure seems well tolerated.
💬 Comment "CROSS" for more on cross-reactivity by Dr. Chris Meletis and we will send you the link!
