What is the most common fruit allergy?

It depends on the region. In northern and central Europe, apple and other fruits linked to birch pollen are common. In Mediterranean countries, peach allergy through lipid transfer proteins is especially common.

Why can I eat cooked apple but not raw apple?

In pollen-food syndrome, the proteins responsible are destroyed by heat, so cooked apple is often tolerated. This does not apply to LTP allergy.

Which vegetables must be declared as allergens in the EU?

Celery and mustard. Soybeans, lupin, peanuts and sesame are also declarable, but other fruits and vegetables are not.

Is kiwi allergy common?

Kiwi is a well-known allergen, both on its own and as part of latex-fruit syndrome. It is not a declarable EU allergen, so guests will need to ask about it.

Allergic to fruits and vegetables: pollen-food syndrome, LTP and latex-fruit allergy

By the Menulta editorial team · Facts checked 15 October 2026 · Updated 15 October 2026

The short answer

People can be allergic to fruits and vegetables in three main ways. Pollen-food syndrome causes mouth itching from raw apple, peach, carrot or celery in people with pollen allergy, and cooking usually removes the risk. Lipid transfer protein (LTP) allergy, common in Mediterranean countries, can cause severe reactions to peach and other fruits, nuts and vegetables, and cooking does not help. Latex-fruit syndrome links latex allergy with banana, avocado, kiwi and chestnut. Of these foods, only celery and mustard are declarable EU allergens.

Pollen-food syndrome (oral allergy syndrome)

In pollen-food syndrome, the immune system mistakes proteins in some raw fruits and vegetables for the pollen the person is allergic to. Birch pollen allergy is linked with apple, pear, cherry, peach, plum, hazelnut, carrot and celery. Grass and weed pollens are linked with melon, tomato and some herbs and spices.

Symptoms are usually limited to the mouth and throat: itching, tingling or mild swelling shortly after eating the raw food. The responsible proteins are fragile, so cooked, canned or heat-treated versions are often tolerated. Apple pie may be fine where a raw apple is not.

LTP allergy: the Mediterranean pattern

Lipid transfer proteins are found in many plant foods and are especially concentrated in fruit skins. LTP allergy is more common in Mediterranean countries, including Italy and Spain, and peach is the classic trigger. People with LTP allergy may also react to apple, cherry, plum, grape, tomato, lettuce, nuts, peanuts, cereals and some vegetables.

LTPs survive heat and digestion, so cooked foods are not reliably safe, and reactions can be severe. Exercise, alcohol and some medicines can make reactions worse in some people. For a Mediterranean restaurant, LTP-allergic guests are not rare, and their needs go beyond the 14 declarable allergens.

Latex-fruit syndrome

Some people allergic to natural rubber latex also react to certain foods with similar proteins, most commonly banana, avocado, kiwi and chestnut, and sometimes papaya, passion fruit and tomato. Kitchens using latex gloves should also be aware that latex itself can transfer to food and affect latex-allergic guests. Nitrile gloves avoid that problem.

The most common fruit and vegetable triggers

Common fruit and vegetable triggers and the usual mechanism
Food	Usual mechanism	Does cooking help?
Apple, pear, cherry	Pollen-food syndrome or LTP	Often for pollen-food; not for LTP
Peach, apricot, plum	LTP (Mediterranean) or pollen-food	Not for LTP
Kiwi	Kiwi-specific allergy or latex-fruit	Varies
Banana, avocado	Latex-fruit syndrome	Varies
Celery and celeriac	Pollen-food and celery allergy; declarable allergen	Not reliably
Carrot	Pollen-food syndrome	Often
Tomato	LTP or grass pollen	Varies
Mustard	Mustard allergy; declarable allergen	No

What restaurants should do

Celery and mustard are the only fruit and vegetable foods in Annex II, and both must be declared. Celery hides in stocks, soffritto, soups, salt blends and stews. Mustard hides in dressings, marinades, mayonnaise, sauces and spice blends. They are among the most commonly missed allergens on menus.

For other fruits and vegetables, guests with these allergies will ask about specific ingredients rather than allergen categories. Staff need to be able to say whether a dish contains raw peach, kiwi in a garnish, apple in a sauce or a fruit purée in a cocktail. That means the full recipe, not just the 14 allergen flags, should be available to whoever answers the question. Watch smoothies, sorbets, fruit salads, cocktail garnishes and sauces made with fruit, where guests may not expect it.

Fruit at the bar and in desserts

Fruit appears in many places outside the main menu: cocktail garnishes, muddled fruit, fresh juices, smoothies, sorbets, fruit coulis on desserts and fruit-based sauces. Bar staff may not see the kitchen's allergen record, and fruit garnishes are often added without thought. Include the bar menu in your recipe information and make sure staff can tell a guest which fruits are in a drink.

Peach purée in a Bellini, kiwi in a fruit salad, apple in a slaw or chutney, and banana in a smoothie are typical places a guest with a fruit allergy needs a clear answer.

Sources

This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. Guests with an allergy should follow their doctor's advice. Operators should confirm their own setup with their food safety adviser or local authority.