Lupin flour risk to peanut allergy sufferers

Research has suggested that people who are allergic to peanuts may also be at risk of severe allergy to lupin flour, which is often used in wheat & gluten free products such as pasta.

Lupin flour is used as a replacement for other types of flour, including wheat & soya flours, in special diet, speciality pastas, breads and catering foods. Until recently lupin flour products were reasonably rare in the UK, however incidences of its use are now more frequent in food manufacturing.

The study, published by the Royal Free Hospital, London in The Lancet says that people with peanut allergies should avoid any products containing lupin flour until they have had another allergy test.

There is a rising prevalence of lupin allergy, appearing to coincide with the increase in the number of products using lupin flour.

In November 2004 a new directive on food labelling came into force in Europe requiring food manufacturers to specifically list 12 potential allergic ingredients, however lupin flour was not on this list despite recommendations to the contrary.

Current recommendations are that food products containing lupin flour should be avoided by people suffering with wheat & gluten allergies in conjunction with peanut allergies until they can be specifically tested for a reaction to lupin flour.