Food Allergy May Be Allergy To Pesticide

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Last week, there was a very concerning report in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It centered around a case where a young girl ate a piece of blueberry pie and had an allergic reaction which led her to have difficulty breathing. Her doctor thought she might be allergic to blueberries but when they tested the pie they found that the pie contained traces of an antibiotic that was similar to the prescription antibiotic streptomycin.

Playing detective, the physician tested the girl for streptomycin allergy by injecting a small amount of the antibiotic into her skin. This reproduced some of the symptoms. The allergy was not to blueberries but to the pesticide.

Here is the concern: streptomycin is often used in orchards as a pesticide. It makes the point that antibiotics aren't just present in meat and milk, but are sometimes sprayed on fruits and vegetables as well.

It also highlights a greater concern that food allergies may not always be as clear cut as they appear.