Today we’re going to talk about all things tomato allergy. A tomato allergy isn’t as common as other allergies such as peanuts or tree nuts, and because it’s not a major allergen, it can be harder to avoid.
I’m going to walk you through food allergy basics, and then we’ll move on to how to cook and shop tomato free, tomato free products (such as condiments), avoiding hidden sources, or tomatoes, and more. So, let’s dive in.
Be sure to use the table of contents to jump around as you see fit.
What Is a Tomato
A tomato is an edible berry, and is often considered a vegetable (remember that age old debate when we were kids?). Tomatoes grow on vines, and have a strong umami flavor. However, some varieties have more sweetness, making them ideal for snacking.
There are thousands of types of tomatoes grown around the world, including heirloom tomatoes which can look pretty gnarly when compared to a perfectly round tomato.
The most common types of tomatoes you’ll see in stores are beefsteak tomatoes, roma tomatoes, sugar plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes, and heirloom tomatoes (these are more common in natural/organic/co-op grocery stores).
You can purchase fresh tomatoes in the produce section, or preserved tomatoes and other tomato products with the canned goods. Whilst tomatoes in glass jars provide a cleaner taste, canned tomatoes continue to dominate the market.
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More About the Nightshade Family
A nightshade plant is part of the Solanaceae family. It’s made up of more than 2,500 individual plants. Many have a high amount of alkaloids, making them ideal for food and medicinal purposes.
The nightshade family includes potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants (aubergine), and peppers. In fact, these four ingredients are the most popular of the entire solanaceae family and you’ll find them in cuisines all around the world.
What is a Food Allergy?
A food allergy is a response by your immune system (via IgE antibodies) that’s triggered by a protein that your body sees as a threat. This is not the same thing as a food intolerance (sometimes called a food sensitivity) or an autoimmune disease.
If you suspect you have a food allergy, ask your doctor to refer you to an allergist for allergy testing where a blood test and/or a skin prick test can be ordered to determine if you have an allergy. Know that tests are not 100% accurate, but are still a good diagnostic tool.
Note: In our modern times, some doctors can set up the referral if you email them (rather than make an in-person appointment). If the reaction is skin based, include well-lit photos with your email and this will usually speed things up.
A “true” food allergy is IgE mediated, and the immune system usually elicits a reaction within immediate ingestion to four hours. Outside of that window, it’s often suspected that you have a food intolerance.
However, there are some types of allergenic diseases that are “true” food allergies and the reactions happen outside of the four hour window. Additionally, a person can have a more rare or complex case and suffer from delayed reactions (which can still be “true” food allergies).
Contact & Airborne Reactions
In some patients, they have what’s called contact or airborne allergy as well. This tends to be a bit more common in those with a peanut allergy or tree nut allergy, and is very rare in those with a tomato allergy.
In their case, a reaction can be triggered by touching tomatoes, or by breathing in its particles (like when cooking or baking).
Food allergies can be life threatening and should always be taken seriously. Work with your allergist and healthcare providers to create an action plan that will meet your needs.
Tomato Allergy Symptoms
Food allergy reactions can vary among patients, as no two people are the same. Some allergy symptoms of a tomato allergy include:
- Swelling of the Lips
- Swelling of the Tongue
- Swelling of the Throat
- Itchy Mouth and/or Throat
- Tingling of the Mouth, Lips, or Throat
- Shortness of Breath
- Trouble Breathing or Asthma Symptoms
- Wheezing
- Skin Rash and/or Severe Redness of the Skin
- Itching
- Hives
- Racing Heart Rate
- Decreased Blood Pressure
- Impending Doom/Dread
- Dizziness
- Fainting/Loss of Consciousness
- Severe Stomach Pain
- GI Distress or Abdominal Pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting (including projectile vomiting)
- Diarrhea
- Blood in Stool
These symptoms are more the more severe symptoms of the allergic reaction spectrum, and can indicate anaphylaxis. It’s critical that if you see these tomato allergy symptoms you recognize that this is a medical emergency and you need to seek immediate medical help.
If you have a known allergy, follow your action plan including the use of an epipen if you have one, or prescribed antihistamines.
Milder reactions can include a persistent cough, runny nose and/or sneezing, eczema, chronic or allergic rhinitis (inflammation of the nose membrane), chronic congestion, and more. However, milder symptoms don’t mean you should let your guard down, or take your diagnosis less seriously.
Three Critical Points
There are hundreds of symptoms a person can experience during an allergic reaction, but it’s important to know three things about tomato allergy symptoms and allergic reactions:
- Not every reaction is anaphylaxis. People can have a “non-traditional” tomato allergy reaction to food (or have mild food allergy symptoms) and still be allergic to tomatoes.
- Should a person experience anaphylaxis, or you see signs of anaphylaxis, it’s important to seek immediate medical treatment (use your epinephrine auto-injector if you have one). When left untreated, anaphylaxis can lead to anaphylactic shock, which can cause death.
- Previous allergic reactions don’t predict future reactions (or the severity of future reactions). In some patients, continued exposure to known allergens can cause more severe reactions each time. This is why strict avoidance of trigger foods is so important.
Children and Food Allergies
A child may talk about a food allergy differently than adults. Many children will say things like “my mouth is spicy” or “there’s a frog in my throat”. They’re trying to express what the reactions feel like to them with language or experiences that are familiar to them.
Always take note of these types of statements from a child, as they can indicate a serious medical situation. If needed, don’t hesitate to seek medical treatment, and be sure to ask your GP for a referral to an allergy specialist.
You May be Asked to Do an Oral Food Challenge
A food challenge, sometimes called an oral challenge, is when an allergy patient eats a food they’ve tested as allergic to, or for a food where the results were inconclusive, under the supervision of their doctor and/or medical team. The goal of the challenge is to confirm the positive results or to determine if the patient isn’t allergic to the food.
There are several steps involved with a proper oral food challenge, including raising the patient’s heart rate to make sure a reaction doesn’t happen. If you’ve been tested for a tomato allergy, or other food allergy, you may be offered an in-office oral food challenge to ensure the test results are accurate. A lot of people wonder, is this a good idea, or a really bad idea.
Honestly, it depends. Let’s say you had a severe reaction to tomatoes in the last year, and that’s what prompted you to get tested. Since a reaction is already known, in that case, an oral food challenge would be a bad idea. On the flip side, let’s say you were diagnosed with a potato or eggplant allergy after a panel was run alongside other foods.
Perhaps your allergist was concerned about potential reactions to other members of the nightshade family due to your unique medical history, and feels it’s in your best interest to challenge related foods. In that case, an oral food challenge could be very helpful.
How Challenges Can Help
Food challenges are also used to confirm if someone has outgrown an allergy (this is a lot more common in kids). For some kids, they’re diagnosed at an early age with really high numbers on their test results and the food(s) will be avoided for years.
During a checkup, their allergist may note a dramatic drop in their numbers, and it would be safe to do a food challenge. Many food allergy parents are understandably nervous, and some choose to move forward with the challenge whilst others decide they’ll continue to avoid the food(s).
In some cases, an allergic individual may not be offered an oral food challenge by their allergist, even with a reduction in numbers, and that’s because of other contributing risk factors (including a history of severe allergic reactions).
Know that food challenges are completely voluntary, and you don’t have to do anything you’re uncomfortable doing, nor do you have to subject your children to them. At the end of the day, do what’s best for you and your children.
How to Grocery Shop When Managing a Tomato Allergy
First, major allergens: All over the world, there are regulating bodies for food, pharmaceuticals, and more. For reference, here in the US, we have the FDA. Each of these bodies has determined the top allergens in their country. The US has the top 9, the EU has the top 14, Japan has the top 7, and so on.
The only country that recognizes tomato as a major allergen is South Korea. Everywhere in the world where major allergens are recognized, tomatoes are not on the list.
A tomato allergy has a much smaller prevalence when compared to the majors, meaning you won’t see it called out on labels, like you what you’ll see with milk (unless you’re in South Korea).
Shopping the Store
When you’re new and everything feels overwhelming, the best advice I can give you is this: stick to the perimeter of the store. Most items in the perimeter (raw produce, raw meat, seafood, dairy products, etc.) will naturally be tomato free.
In addition to that, stick to basics such as dry pasta, canned beans, rice, and so on. These foods will also be free from tomato proteins.
Once you move to the center aisles, you’ll start to see tomato a bit more. You’ll see them in some snack foods, supplements, pre-made savory foods, canned goods, and more.
The 30% Group
One important thing you’ll want to know about yourself when it comes to shopping is if you can tolerate traces of tomato in your food. About 30% of people with food allergies self-report that they’re unable to eat foods that have been made on shared equipment with what they’re allergic to, due to these traces of allergens.
If shared equipment is an issue, no matter what’s on the food label, you’ll need to contact companies before purchasing items. Tomatoes have a pretty wide range of use across many product categories, so always do your due diligence.
Tomato Labeling Information
Most regulating bodies require food companies to use plain language on the food labels (this is especially helpful if you’re allergic to eggs, which we can talk about another time).
What this means is that in the ingredient statement, you won’t see “Solanum lycopersicum” on the label (the scientific name for tomato) but instead you’ll see “tomato”, “tomato juice”, or something along those lines.
Tomato Free Diet Types
There are several diet types that are free from tomatoes:
- AIP Paleo
- Balsam of Peru Free Diet
- Birch Pollen Cross-Reactive Free Diet
- Grass Pollen Cross-Reactive Free Diet
- Mugwort Pollen Cross-Reactive Free Diet
- GERD Diet
- Latex Cross-Reactive Free Diet
- Low/No Oxalate (tomato is on the moderate to high side)
- Migraine Diet (specifically the Cleveland Clinic protocol, not the Johns Hopkins protocol)
- Nickel Allergy Free Diet
- Sulfite Free Diet
You’ll be able to find recipes online for these diet types, and you’ll be able to find pre-made food for the AIP Paleo diet type. There are a few products here and there that are made for people on the GERD diet, but not as much as the AIP diet.
It’s important to know that if you’re only allergic to tomato, all of these diet types will over-eliminate for your needs.
If you manage a tomato allergy, along with other dietary restrictions, be sure to check out the Advanced Recipe Search on RAISE. You can mix and match over 100 filters for food allergens, food families, special diets, and much more.
Oral Allergy Syndrome Connection
Oral allergy syndrome, now called pollen food allergy syndrome, is a special type of food allergy. As the name implies, the allergy symptoms happen in the mouth (oral). In easy to understand terms, here’s how it works:
A person allergic to a specific pollen must avoid a specific list of foods because the proteins in said foods “look similar enough to the pollen” to their immune system that it causes a reaction.
This is known as cross-reactivity, and you can do a deep dive on that term to learn more. Also know that not every person with pollen allergies manages OAS/Pollen-Food Allergy Syndrome.
In almost every OAS/PFAS patient, all allergic reactions occur above the collar bone, and mainly in the mouth and throat. In some rare cases, the reaction happens outside of this scope, but it’s still OAS.
Many OAS/PFAS patients are able to tolerate the cross-reactive foods if they’re well cooked first, as this denatures the protein so their immune system can “clearly see” that this isn’t the pollen, but something else.
There are five major pollens at play where PFAS is concerned: Alder Pollen, Birch Pollen, Grass Pollen, Mugwort Pollen, and Ragweed Pollen.
In the case of tomato, it’s cross-reactive with birch, grass, and mugwort.
If you’d like to read more about OAS/PFAS and see cross-reactive fruits and vegetables, check out this article here on my website.
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Latex Allergy Connection
Many patients with a latex allergy have to eliminate foods that are cross reactive with latex. Foods all into three categories: low cross reactivity, moderate cross reactivity, and high cross reactivity.
Tomato falls into the moderate cross reactive category alongside other foods such as carrot, celery, apples, and potatoes.
If you manage a latex allergy, and need to eliminate moderate and high cross reactive foods, tomatoes are off the menu until your medical team can help you determine which foods might be good for an oral challenge.
If you’d like to learn more about a latex allergy and cross reactive foods, read this article.
Cross Reactive Warning
In addition to OAS/PFAS and a latex allergy, there are other foods that tomatoes can be cross-reactive with. I’d suggest reading this article from top to bottom to read thru the available data and other cross-reactive foods.
Additionally, this article includes information on potential cross-reactivity with the Solanaceae family.
Different Names for Tomato & Tomato Products
Different forms of tomatoes can have different names, and you may see them in a range of different foods. These are the names to be aware of:
- Canned Tomatoes (usually whole, peeled, and sealed after heat processing, also called Tinned Tomatoes)
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Diced Tomatoes
- Freeze Dried Tomatoes
- Tomato
- Tomato Extract
- Tomato Juice
- Tomato Paste
- Tomato Powder
- Tomato Purée
- Strained Tomatoes
- Sun Dried Tomatoes
Fun Food Fact: A Tomato Can is a phrase in sports that refers to a poorly skilled individual fighter in combat sports. Also, if you rack up several wins against said cans, you may be called a Can Crusher.
Tomato Allergy: List of Foods to Avoid
When you’re managing a tomato allergy, know that there are foods that naturally contain tomato products. When you see these food products from all around the world, you’ll know right away that tomato allergens are present.
- Banana Ketchup
- BBQ Sauce
- BLT Sandwich (the T is for tomato)
- Bloody Mary
- Bruschetta
- Caprese Salad
- Chili (most chili is tomato based, but tomato free options exist, but are usually homemade)
- Fried Green Tomatoes (green tomatoes are not fully ripened)
- Gazpacho (a Spanish cold soup, but can be made from other fruits)
- Gochujang
- Ketchup (can also be spelled Catsup)
- Marie Rose Sauce
- Marinara Sauce
- Panzanella (bread salad)
- Pappa al Pomodoro
- Pico de Gallo
- Pizza (tomato sauce is the most popular base, but pizzas come with a range of sauces these days)
- Ragu (most ragout is tomato based, but tomato free options exist, but are usually homemade)
- Ratatouille
- Rose Sauce (usually refers to a pasta sauce that’s tomato + milk based)
- Salsa
- Salmorejo
- Shakshouka
- Sloppy Joe
- Thousand Island Dressing
- Tomato Jam
- Tomato Pie
- Tomato Sausage (a type of sausage made with pork and tomatoes)
- Tomato Soup
- Vodka Sauce
Hidden Sources of Tomato: List of Foods That Can Contain Tomato Products
This is not an exhaustive list. Tomatoes are used in a wide range of applications, especially in savory foods.
Tomato extract isn’t a super common ingredient, but can be present in some pre-made foods, as well as makeup, so always take the necessary precautions and read labels (and contact companies if needed).
Just because a product type is on this list doesn’t guarantee the presence of tomato (or the opposite).
- Antipasto
- BBQ Flavoured Foods (most common in processed snacks, but also nuts, seeds, etc.)
- Bouillon
- Broths & Stocks
- Burgers (some recipes have tomato derivatives or ketchup in the meat mixture)
- Baked Goods (savory baked goods including focaccia, hand pies, etc.)
- Casseroles
- Chutney
- Crackers
- Cream Cheese Spreads
- Dips
- Dry Rub for Meat (can contain tomato powder)
- Health & Wellness Products (functional beverages, snack bars, etc. can contain tomato powder)
- Instant Noodle Seasoning Packets
- Meat Marinades
- Meatballs
- Meatloaf
- Natural Flavors
- Potato Chips (as a flavouring agent)
- Processed Meats (tomato powder for flavour and/or colour)
- Salad Dressings
- Sausages (chopped dried tomatoes or tomato juice may be present)
- Sauces (pasta and pizza are the most common)
- Seasoning Blends (can contain tomato powder)
- Soups
- Stews
- Stock Cubes (also called Bouillon Cubes)
- Supplements
- Tapas
- Vegan Foods
- “Vegetable Boosted” Foods (when labels say something like “contains 3 servings of vegetables” because there are added vegetable powders)
Tomato proteins and tomato derivatives also have uses in a variety of non-food items including bath & body products. Depending on your level of sensitivity, you’ll need to assess a range of non-food products.
Natural Flavors Warning
It’s not super common, but tomato can be used as natural flavoring. Since tomato isn’t a major allergen, it won’t be called out.
The term natural flavours encompasses thousands of individual substances and compounds. The only way to find out if tomato is part of their blend of ingredients (natural flavours are usually a blend, not one item) is to call the company and request the details.
Explain that you have a tomato allergy and you need to know about each of the ingredients in their natural flavours. Some brands will say things like “it’s proprietary”. If you run into that, walk away. Brands that can’t be transparent don’t deserve our support.
Eating Out at Restaurants with a Tomato Allergy
If you’d like to eat at a restaurant whilst managing a tomato allergy, you’ll have to do a lot of investigating before choosing to dine out.
The absolute safest option will be an expensive farm-to-table restaurant directly on a farm where everything is made from scratch. In those environments, they have so much control over the ingredients and can accommodate those with food allergies pretty easily.
If you find an AIP Paleo restaurant, they will naturally be tomato free.
Steak houses are another good option, as they should be able to season a basic piece of meat with salt + safe spices, and cook it in a clean pan.
I’d be on the lookout for restaurants that advertise clean ingredients, and organic ingredients. That’s not to say they don’t use tomato, but your chance of success is simply higher.
I suggest avoiding high-end restaurants that have rotating seasonal dishes that frequently change. Whilst they can make some minor adjustments, they really aren’t able to accommodate food allergy folks as easily since the ingredients are pretty set and the menu isn’t very flexible.
Cross Contact and Cross Contamination
Cross-contact and cross-contamination are not the same thing. When talking with food professionals, it’s important that you use the correct terminology. Cross-contamination refers to pathogens, and cross-contact refers to allergens.
Please read the article on this page to learn more about cross-contact, and how you can work towards preventing it.
Tomato Substitutes & Tomato Alternatives
Now we’ll take a look at a few basic tomato substitutes. This only scratches the surface, and you can read a lot more about substituting for tomatoes in this article.
If you’re allergic to all nightshades, please refer to this nightshade substitutes article instead.
Tomato Substitute (General All-Around Use)
When it comes to choosing a basic tomato substitute that will work more often than not, tomatilos and tamarillos are going to be the top two ingredients to lean into. Cocona is another option worth exploring, but it isn’t nearly as versatile as the top two choices.
Tomato Substitute for Pasta Sauce
You have a few options when it comes to creating a tomato free pasta sauce. The easy way is to purchase a pasta sauce that’s naturally tomato free such as a cream sauce, Alfredo sauce, or pumpkin sauce.
Your next option is to purchase a nomato sauce (no tomato sauce). These are crafted by companies that usually serve the AIP Paleo population, and they’ll be 100% nightshade free.
If you’re looking for something a lot more authentic, a homemade sauce made from tamarillos alongside butternut squash or carrot is going to get you closer to the taste of tomatoes.
Be sure to explore Japanese style pasta sauces alongside other Asian noodle dishes, as these are often made without tomatoes, but are absolutely exceptional.
Tomato Substitute in Soup
If you’re looking to make tomato free, tomato soup, you’re going to want to use a blend of tamarillos, a pre-made nomato sauce, broth, and cream. Whilst this won’t be a perfect replica of tomato soup, it will remind you of the dish, and will still be good for pairing with a grilled cheese sandwich.
For a soup recipe that contains diced tomatoes, you can use diced tamatillos in their place.
Tomato Substitute for Salsa
If you’d like to get as close as possible to replacing tomatoes in salsa, you can reach for tomatillos or tamarillos. They’re both in the nightshade family, and function very similarly to tomatoes. Each one will taste a bit different, but the texture is close to spot on.
The other option for tomato free salsa is to walk in the other direction. Mango salsa, pineapple salsa, and peach salsa are three perfect examples.
Fruity salsas tend to use red onion, fresh herbs, and other delicious ingredients, whilst bypassing tomatoes all together. You can find lots of recipes online for fruit salsa, including apple salsa.
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Tomato Free Product Recommendations
- Mushroom Ketchup Recipe
- Tomato Free Ketchup
- Tomato Free BBQ Sauce
- Tomato Free Salsa (some stores will have something like this in the fresh produce section as well)
- Tomato Free Pizza Sauce
- Tomato Free Pasta Sauce
Delicious Tomato Free Recipes
These are the kind of gluten free, allergy friendly recipes you can share with friends and family and they’re going to love them. Packed with flavour, and let me tell you, your first thought won’t be “something’s missing”.
- Tomato Free Ketchup Recipe
- Tomato Free White Chili Recipe
- Creamy Honey Apple Pasta Recipe (it might not be like what they make in Italy, but dang is it delicious)
- Low Histamine, Tomato Free Ragu Recipe
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Answering Your Tomato Allergy Questions
Without tomatoes in my diet, what foods can I eat for lycopene?
Whilst tomatoes are the leading source of lycopene (in addition to other nutrients), there are other delicious ways to add this nutrient to your diet. Other good sources of lycopene include:
- Guava
- Watermelon
- Pink & Red Grapefruit
- Persimmons
- Asparagus
- Red Cabbage (also called purple cabbage)
I’ve listed these from highest to lowest content. Interestingly, guava is the top tomato free source, and only contains about 1/8 the amount of lycopene per 100g of tomato.
Are tomatoes an approved food for a low histamine diet?
No, tomatoes aren’t considered a low histamine food. Another reason you’ll want to avoid tomato products on a low histamine diet: tomatoes are a histamine liberator.
At this time, tamarillos, a great tomato substitute, aren’t defined as low histamine or high histamine (listed as unknown), so that could be an option for you.
If you’re unable to tolerate tamarillo, I’d suggest leaning into peaches and nectarines for things like faux salsa, and even some creative pasta sauces. Honestly, there are quite a few types of pasta sauces that you can still have on a low histamine diet, and I have several in my low histamine cookbook.
If I have a tomato allergy, should I avoid other nightshade vegetables?
You’ll want to work with your allergist and talk about cross reactivity. On the surface, if someone is ONLY allergic to tomato, then no, you don’t need to avoid other nightshade vegetables.
However, if you have other medical conditions, manage seasonal allergies (and might have OAS), or have test results that imply you may be more prone to cross reactivity, you may need to avoid other fruits and vegetables.
Your medical team can order allergy tests (blood tests and skin prick tests), supervise an oral challenge, and give you great guidance based on your case history and test results. During this time, make sure you’re keeping a detailed food journal, that way, should symptoms develop, you’ll know what you’ve eaten.
Can I use mustard as a ketchup substitute in recipes?
Maybe. I’m not one to tell people they can’t do way out of the box things when making a food they love. If the recipe calls for a small amount of ketchup (less than 85g/3 ounces), honestly, mustard could work. Doubly true if you use a flavoured mustard like honey mustard rather than plain yellow mustard.
Now, if we’re talking about larger amounts, a nomato sauce is going to be a better tomato substitute since it’s better designed to mimic the taste and texture of ketchup. This brand sells nomato ketchup.
I have bell pepper and tomato allergies. Is it possible to have something like BBQ sauce or ketchup?
Yes! It’s possible to have something like BBQ sauce and ketchup. Your first line of defense will be “AIP Paleo nomato sauce”. The AIP Paleo diet is 100% nightshade free, and would cover both of your allergies.
You can also look up recipes online for nightshade free BBQ sauce or tomato free ketchup. Since you’re also allergic to bell peppers, you won’t be able to say “tomato free”, but instead need to say nightshade free.
This will eliminate ingredients such as paprika (bell pepper derived) which is super common in these types of recipes.
I have this tomato free ketchup recipe here on the website that you can check out for a great example on how to use non-traditional ingredients, and still get great results.
You can purchase these as well:
Is a tomato intolerance the same thing as a tomato allergy?
No, a tomato allergy and a tomato intolerance (sometimes called a tomato sensitivity) are two different medical conditions that have different pathways that elicit the responses. However, both will have the same approach in avoidance, where tomato is concerned.
An allergy can lead to anaphylaxis, and an intolerance cannot. The most common symptoms of food intolerances include painful cramps, GI & digestive discomfort, headaches, painful bloating & gas, skin irritation & rashes, chronic congestion, and more. That’s not to say that these symptoms can’t cross over to food allergies, but you won’t experience the more severe allergy symptoms with an intolerance (such as difficulty breathing, severe vomiting, and so on).
When managing a food allergy, for your overall health, well-being, and safety, you’ll want to make sure your meals are free from tomato and all tomato derivatives.
If you have a food intolerance, talk with your M.D. about the consumption of tomato via the form of natural flavours. You may not need to avoid tomato down to that level since it isn’t an allergy.
Remember, no two immune systems are the same, and anyone can be allergic or intolerant to anything, and in any combination. Some people are able to have tomato derivatives in small amounts, whilst managing an intolerance, whilst others cannot. If you fall into the cannot group, know that there are loads of delicious options that are still on the table.
How can I avoid accidental exposure to tomato?
The first big thing to do is to avoid foods that contain tomato and all forms of tomatoes. From there, you can talk with food manufacturers before purchasing products to confirm tomato isn’t in the product by way of flavouring agents.
If you’re in the 30% group and can’t do shared equipment, you’ll need to ask a lot of questions to ensure your safety. Alternatively, you can lean into really simple/basic foods and make quality meals at home.
If you’re concerned about accidental exposure when eating out at restaurants, you’ll want to talk with a member of the restaurant staff in advance, extensively (ideally a manager or head chef). If tomato is an ingredient in their stock or broth, know that a lot of menu items will be contaminated. The restaurant should have a list of ingredients for each product. You’ll want to avoid anything that contains natural flavors.
Unfortunately, there’s no 100% way to avoid every risk, unless you grow your own food and make everything at home. Even allergy friendly and free-from brands have the occasional food recall due to undeclared allergens because somewhere in their supply chain, a mistake was made.
What you can do however is be prepared. Make sure you have an action plan for your tomato allergy and know what to do if you have an allergic response. Also make sure that those in your family know how to treat an allergic response and how to advocate for you if necessary.
When you’re new to food allergy management, everything is going to feel BIG. Every small choice will feel HUGE. Each meal can feel daunting (but also like a triumph). Over time though, you’ll find your groove and be a shopping pro, cooking pro, and totally starting to thrive and live your best life.
Is there a treatment or cure for a tomato allergy or food allergies?
There is no cure for food allergies, but food allergy research is progressing each day and learning more about how the immune system works. We may see a cure in the future, but for now, the only approved medical treatment at the time of this writing is called Oral Immunotherapy (OIT).
OIT is never guaranteed to work. In fact, when someone passes, we say they’re “in remission”, not “cured”, as there are no cures for food allergies. Know that results vary from one individual to the next because this is all a science of the immune system. Since no two people are the same, it’s impossible to predict 100% of the time how individuals will respond to OIT.
During treatment, patients ingest small amounts of what they’re allergic to. Some start at less than a 1 gram dose, and for reference, an ounce is 28 grams. This is done in hopes of having the immune system build tolerance. Some patients do well with this therapy and some patients never get past the first dose because of how sensitive they are to the allergen.
One the thing about OIT that people don’t talk about enough is that just how you can gain tolerance, you can lose it as well. I’ve also met people in this boat where they passed OIT, then a few years later woke up one day and had a severe allergic reaction.
Additionally, those with EOE have a higher risk of developing complications and further issues if they undergo OIT. This type of science is, in my opinion, poorly understood, and all you can do is do your best and work with the knowledge you have and the guidance your medical team provides.
When it comes to OIT, really assess what it can do for you, and what your goals are. If the risk seems worth it, as an adult, I say go for it. If you’re managing a child, it’s different because of consent.
It’s really important that children give fully informed consent before you introduce known food allergens to their system (something a lot of parents overlook). This is doubly true if your child has a complex case.
Think of it this way: would YOU want something done TO you, or WITH you? There’s a big difference in those two scenarios.
Note: Allergy shots are for the treatment of seasonal allergies, not food allergies.
