Cinnamon allergy
Spice allergy to cinnamon.
About cinnamon allergy
Cinnamon is a spice made from tree bark and used widely in baking, drinks and savoury dishes. Allergy to it is uncommon, but it can occur as an IgE-mediated food allergy to cinnamon proteins. Cinnamon can also cause non-allergic reactions: as a contact irritant it may produce mouth soreness or skin and lip reactions, and cinnamon flavourings in toothpaste, chewing gum and sweets are recognised causes of mouth irritation and contact reactions that are not true food allergy.
When a true allergy is present, symptoms usually begin within minutes to two hours of eating and can include an itchy mouth, hives, swelling and stomach upset, with more severe whole-body reactions being rare. Contact reactions tend to affect the lips and inside of the mouth where cinnamon-flavoured products are used. Because cinnamon is often a hidden ingredient in spice blends, baked goods and seasonal foods, it can be tricky to pin down as the cause of intermittent symptoms.
Diagnosis is helped by a careful history and food and product diary, with skin-prick or specific-IgE blood testing arranged by an allergy specialist where appropriate. Management is based on avoiding cinnamon and reading labels on cakes, cereals, drinks, spice mixes and oral-care products. Most reactions are mild or limited to the mouth, but if any reaction ever involves throat swelling, breathing difficulty or faintness, treat it as a medical emergency and call 999.
Common triggers
- Cinnamon and products containing it
Symptoms
- Itching or tingling in the mouth
- Hives, itching or eczema
- Swelling of the lips, face, tongue or throat
- Stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea
- Wheezing or trouble breathing
- In severe cases, anaphylaxis
Avoidance & management
- Read ingredient labels every time
- Ask about ingredients and cross-contamination when eating out
- Keep the food out of shared cooking areas
- Carry prescribed antihistamines or an adrenaline auto-injector
- Seek emergency help for any severe reaction
Sources & references
Allergy safety: what everyone should know
Mild-to-moderate reaction signs
- Itching, hives or a raised rash
- Swelling of lips, face or eyes
- Tingling mouth, sneezing, runny nose
- Stomach pain, nausea or vomiting
Anaphylaxis — call 999 (UK) or 112 (EU) immediately
- Difficult or noisy breathing, wheeze, persistent cough
- Swelling of the tongue or tightness in the throat
- Dizziness, collapse, pale and floppy (young children)
- Use an adrenaline auto-injector (e.g. EpiPen) at once if prescribed, then call an ambulance even if symptoms improve
Allergy or intolerance? A true allergy involves the immune system and can escalate quickly; an intolerance (e.g. lactose intolerance) is unpleasant but not life-threatening. The symptoms overlap, so self-diagnosis is unreliable.
Getting tested: home-testing kits based on IgG are not diagnostically valid. If you suspect an allergy, ask a GP for referral to an allergy clinic for skin-prick or specific-IgE testing and a supervised food challenge where appropriate.