Lupin
Route Of Exposure
Other topics
The seed may be cooked and eaten. The seed is also ground into flour and may be mixed with cereal flours for making bread. Some varieties have bitter seeds that contain toxic alkaloids and require leaching before they are eaten, but varieties without alkaloids have been developed. The roasted seeds can be used as a snack in much the same way as peanuts. Edible oil is obtained from the seed. The roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute.
Food allergy, asthma and occupational allergy to Lupin flour. See Lupin for information on allergy to Lupin seed.
Clinical Relevance
IgE mediated reactions
Anecdotal evidence suggests that asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis are common following exposure to pollen from Lupin; however, few specific studies have been reported to date.
Cross-Reactivity
An extensive cross-reactivity among the different individual species of the genus could be expected, as well as to a certain degree among members of the family Fabaceae.
References
- Crespo JF, Rodríguez J, Vives R, James JM, Reaño M, Daroca P, et al. Occupational IgE-mediated allergy after exposure to lupine seed flour. The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology. 2001;108(2):295-7.
- Parisot L, Aparicio C, Moneret-Vautrin DA, Guerin L. Allergy to lupine flour. Allergy. 2001;56(9):918-9.
- Lavaud F, Jonvel AC, Fontaine JF, Sabouraud D, Lebargy F. Les pollinoses de proximité ne sont-elles que des cas cliniques ? Revue de la littérature à propos de cinq observations / Pollinosis of proximity: Review of the literature and report of five cases. Revue francaise d allergologie 2007;41(2):51-6.
- Regalado AP, Ricardo CP. Study of the intercellular fluid of healthy Lupinus albus organs. Presence of a chitinase and a thaumatin-like protein. Plant physiology. 1996;110(1):227-32.
- Egorov TA, Odintsova TI, Musolyamov A, Fido R, Tatham AS, Shewry PR. Disulphide structure of a sunflower seed albumin: conserved and variant disulphide bonds in the cereal prolamin superfamily. FEBS letters. 1996;396(2-3):285-8.
- L. Y. Botanical relations and immunological cross-reactions in pollen allergy. 2nd ed. Pharmacia Diagnostics AB. Uppsala. Sweden. Pharmacia Diagnostics AB Uppsala Sweden. 1982.