Rice, the Allergen

Abstract

Rice is the main and most important food taken every day in Eastern Asia. Frequency of IgE- mediated rice allergy is about 10% in atopic subjects. A multigene family of 14-16 kDa proteins presents the major allergens from rice seeds/grains. Other rice seed/grain allergens are a recently described 33-kDa major and a 60-kDa minor allergens. Rice is a member of the grass family; therefore its pollens become airborne even though it is mainly self-pollinated. Rice can cause hay fever symptoms in areas where it is grown commercially. Key words: rice; food allergy; hypersensitivity DOI: 10.3126/njst.v9i0.3187 Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 9 (2008) 195-199