The avoidance of sulfite-containing foods and drugs is also essential.
Is a Sulfite and Sulfa Allergy the Same?
Sulfa allergiesand sulfite allergies are not the same.
Illustration by Joshua Seong. © Verywell, 2018.
The two are chemically unrelated.
What Causes a Sulfite Allergy?
They are even sulfites used in injectable medications as a preservative.
More often, a person will experience asulfite sensitivityin which the body cannot tolerate sulfites.
Food sensitivitieslike these are largely indistinguishable from a “true” food allergy.
The only exception is severe IgE reactions that can lead toanaphylaxis.
When to Call 911
Anaphylaxis requires immediate emergency care.
Symptoms tend to develop within 30 minutes of consuming sulfites.
If not treated appropriately, anaphylaxis can lead toshock, coma, heart or respiratory failure, and death.
How Is Sulfite Allergy Diagnosed?
Sulfite allergy rarely shows up in allergyskin tests.
If a sulfite allergy is suspected, yourallergistwill most likely perform anoral challenge.
A significant drop in lung function confirms the diagnosis.
Oral challenges should only be performed under medical supervision so that emergency treatment can be prescribed if anaphylaxis occurs.
Reading product labels can help you steer clear of them.
If accidental exposure occurs, the treatment can vary based on how sensitive you are to sulfites.
This can cause asthma-like symptoms and, on rare occasions, a potentially life-threatening allergy known as anaphylaxis.
U.S. law requires food manufacturers to declare if sulfites are in their products.
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U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Appendix: FDA guide to foods and drugs with sulfites.
2019 Feb 12;10:190. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2019.00190
Australasian Society of Immunologist and Allergists.Sulfite sensitivity.
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doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2014.05.013
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PDF available for download.
