Article: A Pesky Allergy to Fruit and Vegetables.(Oral Allergy Syndrome)

Byline: Matthew Shulman

I can't eat apples. I also can't eat peaches, plums, pears, cherries, carrots, or celery. If I do, my mouth immediately feels like it's on fire, and my palate itches so badly I kick myself--again. I, like millions of people, have a condition called Oral Allergy Syndrome, which leaves some of the tastiest and most nutrient-rich vegetables and fruits just out of reach. Allergists estimate that 70 percent of people with allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, have some form of Oral Allergy Syndrome. But many, and even their doctors, haven't heard of it.

Fruit-pollen syndrome, as it's also called, is far less dangerous than food allergies to milk, eggs, ...