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Lupin allergy

Lupin Allergy | One of the 14 Major Food Allergens

Lupin Allergy UK

Lupin or lupini beans are a legume commonly found in Mediterranean countries, North Africa, and Latin American countries. Lupini beans are usually eaten as a snack or ground into flour to add nutritional value to food products or recipes.

Lupini beans are available in jars with brine, or dried and salted in plastic packaging.

lupin

What is a Lupin Allergy?

ASCIA says that a reaction to lupin is caused by the body’s immune system reacting to proteins in the lupini bean. The body considers these proteins as harmful intruders, and this causes the immune system to respond by fighting off the proteins. 

Studies have indicated a link between peanut and lupin allergies which is due to lupins and peanuts both being legumes and belonging to the same plant family. Juicy Lucy’s Kitchen recalls her own experience with a lupin allergy and explains that:

“for people who have an existing legume allergy, eating lupin can cause an allergic reaction on first exposure” 

To learn more about nut allergies, read our article here.

Symptoms of a Lupin Food Allergy

Just like all other food allergies, a lupin allergy may occur and advance rapidly. The AAAAI lists the symptoms of a lupin allergy as:

  • Swelling in the face, throat, or mouth,
  • Hives,
  • Oral itching,
  • Abdominal pain,
  • Nausea,
  • Vomiting,
  • A runny nose,
  • Watering eyes,
  • Difficulty breathing,
  • Coughing,
  • Wheezing,
  • Anaphylaxis shock.

Anaphylaxis Shock

According to Anaphylaxis Campaign, anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that can occur suddenly or up to 2-3 hours later. When someone with allergies is exposed to something they are sensitive to, this can happen.

Anaphylaxis may start with similar symptoms to a milder reaction but quickly worsen. People suffering from an allergic anaphylactic response should immediately use an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen), and emergency services should be contacted.

Common Foods that May Contain Lupin

Lupini beans can be eaten on their own as a snack or added to other foods. 

In Europe, it is common to ground lupini beans into flour. This enhances flavour and adds nutritional value to the food.

Lupins are often used to replace soy and are sometimes the key ingredient in meat, gluten, and dairy alternatives. Foods that may contain lupin are:

By law, food manufacturers and producers must list lupin on the label of food products. It can also be identified as lupin flour, lupine, lupin bean, or lupin seed.

hummus includes lupin

LiberEat - Allergen Error Detection Software

Food allergen rules and regulations continue to change and evolve. Food businesses in production, hospitality, catering, and retail must be vigilant when working with ingredients, products, and dishes containing allergens and exercise due diligence when providing ingredient and allergen information to consumers. Successful allergen management is a big part of Food Safety professionals creating a culture of care and excellence within their teams.

LiberEat offers a second line of defence for food businesses by detecting errors, allergens, and other harmful ingredients with our proprietary Allergen Detection Software. Food businesses can apply this technology directly to identify errors in allergen communications, preventing the risk of injury to consumers. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your existing food safety processes. 

LiberEat works closely with food businesses to ensure consumers are safe and healthy when consuming your produce.

To find out how LiberEat Technology supports food businesses to detect allergens and errors, to protect consumers