Sesame as a Food Allergen: Overview of Clinical Manifestations, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment.

The study aims to investigate the incidence of sesame allergy, to study common allergens and clinical manifestations, and to analyse the diagnosis and treatment of sesame allergy. A literature search on the topic was conducted, with each item studied separately. The study determined that the popularity of sesame seeds in cooking is growing. Consequently, the prevalence of allergic reactions to this product is also increasing. Most countries, including Poland, include sesame in the list of allergens that must be labelled on any food product. Sesame cross-reaction with Brazil nuts, sunflowers, peanuts, soybeans, carrots, hazelnuts, and pollen was determined. Anaphylaxis was the most common clinical manifestation, accounting for 37.7%. Allergy diagnostics are carried out using skin tests, specific and total immunoglobulin E, antibodies to recombinant allergens, double-blind, placebo-controlled oral tests or a combination of these. The introduction of sesame seeds at the age of over 6 months is considered to be prevention. An alternative effective and safe method is oral immunotherapy with or without omalizumab. This data suggests the importance of studying the issue of sesame allergy, despite its low prevalence, as patients most often had life-threatening anaphylactic reactions.