I get itchy lips eating mango, am I allergic?

Probably OAS, not true allergy. Cook the mango (or eat tinned/cooked mango) and see if symptoms vanish. Mention to your GP if symptoms worsen.

Can mango cause anaphylaxis?

Rarely, in true IgE-mediated allergy. UK case reports exist but the lifetime risk is well under 1 in 10,000.

Will my child outgrow mango allergy?

Oral allergy syndrome often improves with hayfever treatment but doesn't usually 'go away'. True IgE mango allergy in children sometimes resolves; an allergist can monitor with specific IgE testing.

Mango allergies explained

Three different mango reactions, three different causes

True IgE-mediated mango allergy is rare (estimated <1% in European populations). Far more common are oral allergy syndrome (OAS), a pollen-food cross-reaction, and contact dermatitis from the skin and sap (urushiol reaction). These three are constantly confused.

Telling them apart matters because the safe foods and the level of risk are completely different.

Oral allergy syndrome (the common one)

Symptoms: tingling, itching or mild swelling of lips, mouth and throat within minutes of eating raw mango. Resolves in 30 to 60 minutes. Caused by cross-reactivity between birch (or grass) pollen proteins and similar proteins in mango, common in UK hayfever sufferers.

Cooked mango is usually fine (heat denatures the cross-reactive protein). OAS to mango does not progress to anaphylaxis in most cases, but anyone with new oral symptoms should still get a GP review.

Urushiol contact dermatitis

The skin and sap of mango contain urushiol, the same compound that causes the poison ivy / poison oak rash. People with prior poison ivy sensitisation (common in North American childhoods, rare in the UK) can develop a delayed eczema-like rash around the mouth or on the hands within 24 to 48 hours.

Solution: peel the mango with gloves, or have someone else peel it. The flesh itself is urushiol-free; reactions are from handling the skin or the white stem sap.

True IgE mango allergy (rare but serious)

Symptoms: hives, generalised swelling, breathing difficulty, vomiting or anaphylaxis within minutes. Caused by IgE antibodies against mango proteins (Man i 1, Man i 2). Rare but documented in UK case reports.

Anyone with this level of reaction needs immediate medical care, allergy clinic referral, and may need to carry adrenaline auto-injectors. Don't self-diagnose this, get formal testing.

Frequently asked

I get itchy lips eating mango, am I allergic?: Probably OAS, not true allergy. Cook the mango (or eat tinned/cooked mango) and see if symptoms vanish. Mention to your GP if symptoms worsen.
Can mango cause anaphylaxis?: Rarely, in true IgE-mediated allergy. UK case reports exist but the lifetime risk is well under 1 in 10,000.
Will my child outgrow mango allergy?: Oral allergy syndrome often improves with hayfever treatment but doesn't usually 'go away'. True IgE mango allergy in children sometimes resolves; an allergist can monitor with specific IgE testing.