Allergy to Mustard Seeds: The Importance of 2S Albumins as Food Allergens

Allergy to mustard seeds has been reported for years, in many cases as very strong anaphylactic reactions. Recent studies have shown that this allergy is increasing and that mustard allergens can be considered among the most important food allergens, especially in countries where the consumption of mustard seed is high. Clinical studies describing hypersensitivity to mustard are reviewed in this paper, as well as the detailed structural and immunological characterization carried out on the major allergens from yellow (Sinapis alba) and oriental (Brassica juncea) mustard seeds. These allergens, named Sin a 1 and Bra j 1, respectively, belong to the 2S albumin class of seed storage proteins. mustard allergy, 2S albumin, napin-like storage proteins, homology, cysteine pattern, superfamily global fold, structure / allergenicity relationship