With kiwifruit becoming ubiquitous in grocery stores worldwide, reports of allergic reactions to the fruit have also increased. But some varieties may be less likely than others to trigger allergies, a small study suggests.
In tests of 37 adults with kiwi allergies, researchers found that certain cultivars of the fruit — including the "gold" variety — tended to be less allergenic than the common deep-green variety known as Hayward.
The findings, reported in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, raise the possibility that people who avoid kiwi because of allergies might be able to reintroduce the fruit into their diets. Larger studies are needed, however, before they can be given the green light.
The kiwifruit, native to southern China, was once considered an "exotic" fruit, but since the 1970s its availability and popularity has increased worldwide. With that wider consumption has come an increase in incidents of allergic reactions to kiwi.
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