Background: Rare case reports of allergic reactions to beer have been published, but the nature of the eliciting substances in beer ingredients is often unknown.
Objective: It was the aim of this study to identify sensitization patterns against various beer ingredients in Chinese individuals with beer allergy.
Methods: Twenty-seven Chinese individuals with a clear-cut history of beer allergy were prescreened to answer a specific questionnaire related to the history and symptoms of beer allergy. Twenty individuals underwent allergy diagnostics with different food allergens and extracts of beer ingredients using the skin prick test (SPT) and the open oral provocation test (OPT) with beer.
Results: Fifteen patients (75%) showed positive reactions to one or more beer ingredients. Of these, 9 individuals, reactive to sorghum and/or sorghum malt also showed positive reactions to other ingredients. Seventeen individuals showed variable symptoms after the OPT. Cutaneous erythema and urticaria were the most common symptoms and usually persisted for over 2 h. There were no significant differences in SPT reactivity to beer ingredients between male and female individuals. Single patients reacted to barley, hops or yeast.
Conclusions: Sensitization to sorghum and/or sorghum malt was the most common finding in Chinese individuals with beer allergy.