Lipid Transfer Protein Clinical Practice Statement

Although the most prevalent plant food allergy in the United Kingdom (UK) is pollen food syndrome (PFS), there is increasing evidence that reactions to plant foods could also be due to sensitisation to Lipid Transfer Proteins (LTP). To gather further information and aid the development of a clinical practice statement on LTP allergy, a survey was conducted by the British Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI). The results confirmed that LTP allergy is being diagnosed in both children and adults in all areas of the UK. The survey results, along with published UK data, confirm that tree nuts, peanuts, apples, stone fruits, tomatoes and processed foods, such as pizza or curry, are common food triggers.  Management can be difficult, and individualised advice is vital to avoid the exclusion of multiple foods and minimise the likelihood of co-factors. Given the diverse range of foods, co-factor involvement and highly idiosyncratic nature of LTP allergy, the need for adrenaline autoinjectors should always be considered.

This is BSACI’s first Clinical Practice Statement. To read the full statement click here.