Can Cooking Steam Cause Anaphylaxis?
In the US in 2019, 11-year-old Cameron Jean-Pierre, suffered a fatal asthma attack after inhaling fish his grandmother was cooking. He had a fish allergy. The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology has warned people with a fish allergy to "...stay out of areas where fish is being cooked, as proteins may be released into the air during cooking."
Natasha was allergic to cow's milk and when she was little, we couldn't go to coffee shops with her because just a few minutes after entering, she would experience an asthma attack. We deduced that she was allergic to the milk proteins in the air from the frothing of the milk for cappuccinos. If we made coffee at home, there was never a problem.
But is it recognised that allergens present in steam from heating/cooking can result in allergic reactions, even anaphylaxis?
Dr Scott Sicherer, a practising allergist, clinical researcher and professor of paediatrics from the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, was asked this very question and his answer was that it would depend on the amount of allergen protein in the steam, a person's degree of allergic sensitivity to that allergen, whether they have asthma, and the amount inhaled.
The amount inhaled is related to how close you are to the source of heated allergen/steam, the size of the room, the amount of ventilation in the room such as open windows, and other factors.
Regarding a shellfish allergy, based on studies of people with occupational asthma related to working with shellfish, it seems clear that shellfish protein can become airborne in steam and may trigger allergic reactions. Therefore, steam coming from plates of hot shellfish could also pose a risk.
He also said that this issue needs to be studied and researched more. :(
*DISCLAIMER: Natasha's Foundation does not provide medical advice. All medical information is sourced from reputable medical sites, experts and publishers. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.