Mustard allergy is considered one of the most common food allergies. Symptoms can range from mild to severe.
Mustard is a common spice used in European, Asian and African cooking[2]. It is also used as a vegetable in the form of mustard greens. Since the proteins found in seeds can be quite different from those found in the rest of the plant, it could be possible that some people are allergic to just the seed but not the leaves, however if you have severe symptoms it would be unwise to experiment and you would be best advised to avoid all forms of the plant. If your symptoms are mild, you might consider experimenting.
Avoiding Mustard Allergy
If you are allergic to mustard, carefully read the ingredients of the food you buy. Mustard can be found in a range of foods including[1][3][5]:
- Barbeque sauce
- Chutneys
- Cold meats
- Condiments
- Curries
- Dehydrated soups
- Emulsifiers
- Fast food products
- Hollandaise sauce
- Marinades
- Mayonnaise
- pickled products
- Pickles
- Pickles
- Processed Meat (sausages, salami etc.) including hamburgers/steakettes, some
- Salad Dressings (vinaigrettes and cruditées)
- Sauce – Barbecue
- Sauce – Béarnaises
- Sauce – Cumberland
- Sauce – Curry
- Sauce – Gravies, Marinades
- Sauce – Ketchup, tomato sauces
- Sauce – Mayonnaises
- Sauce – Pesto
- Sauce – Vinaigrettes
- Soup
- Spices, flavouring or seasoning
- Stews
- Vegetables with vinegar
- Vinaigrette
- Water binding agents
Other possible sources of mustard
- Some appetizers
- Dehydrated mashed potatoes
- Some baby/toddler prepackaged food
- Sprouted seeds
Mustard Allergy and Vegetable Oil
Canola is related to mustard, and is a major source of vegetable oil. In fact, canola oil may contain mustard seed oil. Rapeseed is another name for canola seed so the information below applies to rapeseed oil as well.
Canola oil is considered safe if you have a mustard allergy because it is highly refined[1].
However, cold pressed canola oil is less refined and is considered unsafe[1].
Avoiding Related Allergens
Mustard is a member of the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) family. Some people with a mustard allergy may also be sensitive to some or all members of the Brassicaceae family, other individuals may not be or be sensitive to a different set of these cruciferous. The Brassicaceae family includes[4]:
- Arugula (rocket)
- Black mustard seeds
- bok choy
- Broccoflower
- Broccoli
- Broccoli romanesco
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Canola/rapeseed
- Cauliflower
- Chinese broccoli (gai-lan)
- Chinese cabbage, napa cabbage
- Choy sum (Flowering cabbage)
- collard greens
- Daikon
- Ethiopian mustard
- Field pepperweed
- Garden cress
- Horseradish
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Komatsuna
- Land cress
- Maca
- Mizuna
- Mustard seeds, brown; greens
- Radish
- Rapeseed/Canola
- Rapini (broccoli rabe)
- Rutabaga (swede)
- Savoy cabbage
- Siberian kale
- Tatsoi
- Turnip root; greens
- Wasabi
- Watercress
- White mustard seeds
- Wild arugula
- wild broccoli
- Wrapped heart mustard cabbage
What is your experience with mustard allergy? Please leave a comment.
References
- [1] Health Canada on Mustard – A priority food allergen
- [2] Wikipedia on mustard
- [3] Wikipedia on mustard condiment
- [4] Wikipedia on Brassicaceae
- [5] Food Allergy Canada on mustard allergy
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
About 4 or 5 hours after I had Honey mustard (spices in the ingredients) I felt tingly in my mouth and my tongue got swollen. Right before it happened I had an avocado, but I did notice the tingling before so I am relating it to the mustard which in the past makes my mouth feel weird. I did also have Boars Head Barbeque chicken breast which has spices, so not 100% it is mustard. So strange it happened hours later.
I am allergic to mustard, broccoli, and kale. If I eat it, within minutes my mouth starts burning and if I don’t take Benadryl right away, erupts in blisters all over my tongue and the insides of my cheeks and lips. It is so bad that I react even if someone stirs the broccoli then uses the same spoon to stir something I am going to eat. Fortunately, I’m okay with things like cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, but you’d be shocked at how limiting these three allergens are when you dine out.
I just get a strange tingly numbness with a weirdish taste after I eat yellow mustard from the bottle…and EVERY SINGLE TIME I eat the store bought (any brand) potato salad or macaroni salads. Im thankful it’s mild..because it’s delicious…but I can only eat a small amount at a time. Am I a masochist? Lol
Sucking on a lemon wedge helps to negate the effects of mustard, but only if I’ve had a mild reaction on my lips and in my mouth.
I took Allegra after getting the mouth sores and tongue swells, but does the lemon really work?
It works for me but not sure why!