John Myers
Some people actually develop an allergy to meat during their lifetime. In the case of an allergy, the immune system is sensitized to a foreign substance and reacts to contact with this so-called allergen with symptoms such as skin rash, itching, respiratory problems or digestive problems, sometimes even to the point of allergic shock. There are around a dozen different allergens in meat that can cause an allergic reaction in sensitized people.
There are forms of meat allergies in which those affected cannot tolerate any meat at all, as well as allergies to only certain types of meat such as poultry or red meat such as pork, beef or lamb. In these cases, other types of meat can be consumed without hesitation. That depends on whether the allergy is caused by an allergen that is found in all types of meat or by a specific protein that is only found in one type of meat.
So-called glycosylated proteins play an important role in an allergy to meat. These are proteins that are provided with sugar residues (carbohydrate side chains). The reaction with the symptoms mentioned usually occurs to the proteins. In the case of a meat allergy, however, it can also happen that allergy sufferers react to the sugar residues instead.
In this case, the onset of symptoms could be delayed. Meat allergy is one of the immediate allergies. This means that symptoms usually appear within three hours of exposure to the allergen. However, there are also characteristics that can be described as delayed immediate types. The allergic reaction only shows up after six to eight hours. The reason for this could be the digestive process, which first has to expose the sugar residues as an allergen before the allergic symptoms appear.
If you suspect an allergy to meat, you should have this checked by an allergist. In the so-called skin prick test, small amounts of certain allergens are applied to your skin and then examined to see which substances cause reddening of the skin. This classic test not only detects an allergy to pollen, animal dander or house dust mites, but also a meat allergy. However, the result should also be backed up by blood tests in which specific antibodies (so-called IgE) can be found.
In the case of an allergy to the glycosylated proteins in red meat, on the other hand, complex provocation diets have to be carried out in order to find out. Larger amounts of meat are consumed under medical supervision until an allergic reaction occurs. However, thanks to the development of a new type of blood test for this special form of allergy, it is now also possible to replace the extensive and risky provocation tests and to get reliable results. Here, the (strong) reaction of certain immune cells to these glycosylated proteins is detected.
