Singer Ariana Grande will be postponing shows in her Sweetener World Tour following an allergic reaction to tomatoes that left her throat "pretty much closed."
Ariana's Allergy
The 25-year old pop superstar announced her health condition and schedule changes on Instagram.
"I had an unfortunate allergic reaction to tomatoes and my throat pretty much closed. still feels like I'm swallowing a cactus but slowly making progress," she said.
She even joked that "there is nothing more unfair than an Italian woman developing an allergy to tomatoes in her mid-twenties."
The "Thank u, Next" singer thanked her fans and said she will get back to performing and to make it up to Tampa and Orlando in November.
Ariana's condition is considered common, as nearly half of all adults who have food allergies got them later in life, and 38 percent of those who experienced severe reactions ended up in the emergency room.
A population-based survey study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association indicated that 40,443 adults or 10.8 percent were allergic to food at the time of the survey. The study findings suggest that food allergies often starting in adulthood are common and severe among U.S. adults.
Allergy expert Katie Marks-Cogan said "those seemingly sudden allergies could be environmental or hormonal, or caused by something called Pollen Food Syndrome, which occurs when the immune system gets confused and thinks proteins in fresh foods and vegetables look like pollen in trees and grasses." Also known as oral allergy syndrome, this is an allergic reaction to fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts experienced by people who are allergic to pollen.
Tomato Allergy And Tomato Intolerance
There is a difference between allergy and intolerance to tomatoes. With tomato intolerance, the symptoms can show up as late as 72 hours after ingesting the fruit. While in allergies, the onset of reaction in most cases is immediate after consuming the ingredient.
"Allergies are unpredictable," said Dr. Clifford Bassett, an allergist, and immunologist at New York University Langone Health.
Bassett said allergies to certain fruits or vegetables can result in sudden reactions such as itchiness or swelling of the mouth, face, lip, tongue, and throat. At times, the reaction can be temporary, but sometimes it may be more permanent. He further said it is important to test for allergies to avoid medical emergencies.
Prevalence Of Food Allergies
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food allergies are a growing food safety and public health concern. It affects an estimated 4 percent to 6 percent of children in the United States.
Food allergy happens when the body has a specific and reproducible immune response to certain foods. Certain response can be severe, such as anaphylaxis, that may cause death. As there is no known cure for food allergies, strict avoidance of the allergen is the only way to prevent reactions.
The top food allergens that account for 90 percent of serious allergic reactions are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts.
