ALLERGEN CORN

Corn allergy is uncommon. It can occur with exposure to corn or corn products, like high fructose corn syrup, vegetable oil, or cornstarch. You may have heard about cross reactivity between corn and other allergens such as rice, wheat, and soy. But this remains controversial.

There may be a genetic predisposition to developing a corn allergy, as it is more common in individuals with a family history of allergies or other allergic conditions, such as asthma or eczema (i.e., atopic dermatitis). Corn allergy is not a very common food allergy.

Background: In a previous study a 9-kd lipid-transfer protein (LTP) was identified as the major allergen of raw maize in a population of 22 anaphylactic patients. However, the stability of this protein in cooked maize is unknown.