Allergic symptoms provoked by honey consumption

Piotr Rapiejko^1,2, Dariusz Jurkiewicz², Agnieszka Lipiec^1,3, Boleslaw Samolinski³, Malgorzata Tokarska²

Allergen Research Center, Warsaw, Poland
Department of Otolaryngology, Military Medical School of Warsaw, Poland
E.N.T. Allergy Clinic, Warsaw Medical School, Poland

Published in: R. Spiewak (Editor): "Pollens and Pollinosis: Current Problems". Institute of Agricultural Medicine, Lublin (Poland) 1995, page 68.

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Objective

The aim of the study was to assess symptoms that individuals allergic to pollen may develop after the consumption of honey.

Material

Two groups of volunteers took part in the study:

Group I: 93 volunteers suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis; all of them with positive skin tests to grass pollen and/or mugwort pollen allergens.

Group II: 52 nonallergic volunteers as a control group.

All individuals were on the same diet at the time of the study. Allergy to bee venom as well as gastrointestinal diseases were excluded.

Methods

Every four days patients took in on empty stomach 25 grams of a particular kind of honey:

multiflorous;
multiflorous, filtered, with no pollen grains;
multiflorous, enriched in 5% pollen;
honeydew;
pseudoaccacia, and
artificial honey as control.

All individuals filled self-evaluation questionnaire before the consumption of the honey and 30 minutes, 2, 6, 24, and 72 hours after it. Allergologic examination was also carried out. All kinds of honey were subjected to pollen analysis in order to assess the degree of exposure to allergens.

Results

In 10 grams of multiflorous honey 43 thousand pollen grains were found, including one thousand grass pollen grains and 450 mugwort pollen grains. In 10 grams of honey-dew 31 thousand pollen grains were found including 1.2 thousand grass pollen grains and 1.6 thousand mugwort pollen grains.

As many as 80% of group I individuals (allergic ones) and 3.8% members of control group developed allergic symptoms after the consumption of multiflorous honey and honey-dew. The consumption of multiflorous honey enriched in 5% pollen evoked allergic symptoms in 95% of group I individuals and in 5.6% of members of control group. 73% of group I allergic individuals developed allergic symptoms after the consumption of multiflorous filtered honey as well. 87% of symptoms referred to alimentary tract.

Conclusions

Water-soluble allergens of pollen grains penetrate most probably to liquid, immature honey. Subsequent filtration of honey leads only to the removal of pollen grains themselves, leaving allergen in honey. The mildest symptoms were observed after the consumption of pseudoaccacia honey (10% of allergic group I individuals). The results of the study confirm the need for allergic patients diet analysis, with special regard to products containing pollen grains.