Tomato sauce intolerance? Allergy?

[BucknellAlum]

For the past 6-8 months, I have not been able to tolerate tomato sauce. I feel extremely bloated about 30 minutes after I eat, and then I feel nauseous for a while thereafter (even the next morning, the most recent time).

Is it common to develop food intolerances or allergies like this, to something I have eaten all my life?

I do not seem to have a problem with pizza :D and I don't really like raw tomatoes, so I don't know if I can tolerate them. I think most of these reactions have been to jarred sauce too, if that makes a difference.

I would hate to think I cannot ever have tomato sauce again!

[Beth]

Have these all been the same brand? Pure tomato sauce, tomatoes with something added or a tomato pasta sauce?

My understanding of allergies is that they can develop at any time in your life. You just need two or more exposures. However, unless you have other allergies and a system prone to them, I would suspect that it might be an additive - anything from a lot of salt or MSG to a preservative or even residues from something the tomatoes were gorwn with. I would try switching brands -- and consider an organic to minimize issues with as many chemicals and such as possible. Try to find one that has no MSG (hard to know for sure since it may not be listed or may be hidden in another item listed).

I would have a very,very hard time giving up tomatoes. Good luck, and I hope it's not the sauce, but something in it.

[Julie O]

Could it be gastric reflux disease? (GERD) It sounds like heartburn symptoms, not allergies (which usually cause hives or rashes). You may want to do some research about GERD on the internet. There are plenty of meds that can be used to treat it, but avoidance of things like tomatoes, peppers, greasy food, and other triggers might be all you need to do.

Hope this helps. :)

[leebee]

One small thing to consider--tomato skins often cause digestive distress. I, for one, cannot digest them well. So if a sauce includes whole or pureed whole tomatoes (or sundried tomatoes...), I get bloated and uncomfortable. It does not matter how long they cook, either. I have to be careful about the tomatoes I buy, and mostly make my own pasta, pizza sauces, etc.

[BucknellAlum]

Have these all been the same brand? Pure tomato sauce, tomatoes with something added or a tomato pasta sauce?

My understanding of allergies is that they can develop at any time in your life. You just need two or more exposures. However, unless you have other allergies and a system prone to them, I would suspect that it might be an additive - anything from a lot of salt or MSG to a preservative or even residues from something the tomatoes were gorwn with. I would try switching brands -- and consider an organic to minimize issues with as many chemicals and such as possible. Try to find one that has no MSG (hard to know for sure since it may not be listed or may be hidden in another item listed).

I would have a very,very hard time giving up tomatoes. Good luck, and I hope it's not the sauce, but something in it.

It has been jarred pasta sauce, I am not sure if it was the same brand. I can't recall if I had some homemade or not in the interim.

I don't have any other real allergies, a little sneezing in the spring, and no asthma or eczema, etc. so I do find it hard to believe I would develop an allergy now (although my dad developed a shellfish allergy in his 50s).

A couple of my friends said they have trouble with tomato sauce too, perhaps it is a lovely side effect of being in the peri-menopausal years??

[Laurielee]

I think it may be gerd too, and think that is my problem. In the last few years I have become intolerant to tomato sauce. Cant stand fresh tomatoes so wouldnt know if its something else added to the sauce. I get extremely bloated and get heartburn. I have tried adding milk and sugar to see if this helps because its suppose to cut down on the acidity. Also new for me, is I even have trouble smelling the sauce, but interesting, I dont have any problem eating pizza either.

Laurie

[mbrogier]

I developed a life threatening allergy to oranges at 27. I ate them all the time before with no problems, then one day I started getting rashes and then anaphlactic symptoms. I've never had issues with seasonal allergies, either...

Pizza is usually made with tomato paste, and pasta sauces are made with whole tomatoes. Other than going to an allergist and getting a skin test done to make sure you're not truly allergic, I'd suggest staying away from tomato products for a few weeks except those that you make at home. You could see if peeling the tomatoes made a difference or if the type of product made a difference, like paste, crushed, whole but peeled, etc.

If you are actually allergic, you should stay away from that food because you never know when your next encounter could become life threatening.

I'd also check into the added MSG angle. I get really sick if I eat something that had MSG added to it. I get really bloated, have horrible stomach cramps and just feel awful. It happens very soon after eating the affected food. Many processed items contain MSG.

[BucknellAlum]

I developed a life threatening allergy to oranges at 27. I ate them all the time before with no problems, then one day I started getting rashes and then anaphlactic symptoms. I've never had issues with seasonal allergies, either...

Pizza is usually made with tomato paste, and pasta sauces are made with whole tomatoes. Other than going to an allergist and getting a skin test done to make sure you're not truly allergic, I'd suggest staying away from tomato products for a few weeks except those that you make at home. You could see if peeling the tomatoes made a difference or if the type of product made a difference, like paste, crushed, whole but peeled, etc.

If you are actually allergic, you should stay away from that food because you never know when your next encounter could become life threatening.

I'd also check into the added MSG angle. I get really sick if I eat something that had MSG added to it. I get really bloated, have horrible stomach cramps and just feel awful. It happens very soon after eating the affected food. Many processed items contain MSG.

Well, food allergies scare me immensely, as I have seen neighbors rush to the hospital after inadvertently eating something they are allergic to. So that is probably why I am so paranoid about this reaction to tomato sauce, whatever it is. I do suppose I would get a rash or hives or swelling with a true food allergy though??

After each episode of indigestion/bloating, I have stayed away from tomato products for a few weeks. . .then tried some pizza, or a dish that had a can of tomatoes in it, etc.

I don't think there was any MSG in this sauce, at least it was not listed on the ingredients. I have not had a reaction to Chinese food, altho' our local place always states "No MSG!" on the menu.

I really hope this is just an indigestion thing, and perhaps a Tums taken with the sauce will help? I am just a little too nervous to try it again yet.

[wallycat]

It has been jarred pasta sauce, I am not sure if it was the same brand. I can't recall if I had some homemade or not in the interim.

I don't have any other real allergies, a little sneezing in the spring, and no asthma or eczema, etc. so I do find it hard to believe I would develop an allergy now (although my dad developed a shellfish allergy in his 50s).

A couple of my friends said they have trouble with tomato sauce too, perhaps it is a lovely side effect of being in the peri-menopausal years??

Here is my 2cents...
You noted that you have "spring allergies"...which usually means birch trees (march-may??--could be something else, but birch is a HUGE offender).
Birch, of all allergens has TONS of cross/food reactions. Sadly, I developed Birch pollen allergies when I hit 40ish...
Tomatoes are a cross reactor, as are celery, carrots, almonds, pitted fruit, blah...blah....but most allergists will tell you to try the food before you assume you are allergic to it.
Having said that, most of the above is called OAS (Oral Allergy Syndrome) and involves any or all of the following: itching of the mouth, lips, throat, tongue, possible swelling or thickening. Only 2% of OAS ever develops into life threatening anaphylactic reactions.

Finally, if I were dxing you (hahahaha, I am NOT a doctor!), I'd presume (from what I have read here) that it is GERD. GERD is extremely common with tomato products; it is extremely common in women as we age (I don't know how old you are, but I can't count how many gal pals I know who are creeping up in age and experiencing this), and most OAS foods, if cooked, do not offend the person.
If you are nervous about food allergies, next doc visit, as for an epi pen Rx. I carry one for summer bee issues, even tho we don't know if I have true bee sting allergies (I was rushed to a hospital when I was 4 in Israel, but allergist says anything before 5 doesn't count)....but I still carry it and feel better knowing I have it.
If you like tomatoes/sauce/etc., there is a product similar to Beano (for gas) that you can try over-the-counter and see if it helps.

Hope this relieves your anxiety. I hear you about food allergy issues as I had my own scare and ever ever careful (apples, almonds, cherries all make my throat itch during birch season).
If your parents have alleriges, you are likely to get them more so than someone who has allergy-free parents (yes, I got that nasty genetic makeup too :( ).

[BucknellAlum]

Here is my 2cents...
You noted that you have "spring allergies"...which usually means birch trees (march-may??--could be something else, but birch is a HUGE offender).
Birch, of all allergens has TONS of cross/food reactions. Sadly, I developed Birch pollen allergies when I hit 40ish...
Tomatoes are a cross reactor, as are celery, carrots, almonds, pitted fruit, blah...blah....but most allergists will tell you to try the food before you assume you are allergic to it.
Having said that, most of the above is called OAS (Oral Allergy Syndrome) and involves any or all of the following: itching of the mouth, lips, throat, tongue, possible swelling or thickening. Only 2% of OAS ever develops into life threatening anaphylactic reactions.

Finally, if I were dxing you (hahahaha, I am NOT a doctor!), I'd presume (from what I have read here) that it is GERD. GERD is extremely common with tomato products; it is extremely common in women as we age (I don't know how old you are, but I can't count how many gal pals I know who are creeping up in age and experiencing this), and most OAS foods, if cooked, do not offend the person.
If you are nervous about food allergies, next doc visit, as for an epi pen Rx. I carry one for summer bee issues, even tho we don't know if I have true bee sting allergies (I was rushed to a hospital when I was 4 in Israel, but allergist says anything before 5 doesn't count)....but I still carry it and feel better knowing I have it.
If you like tomatoes/sauce/etc., there is a product similar to Beano (for gas) that you can try over-the-counter and see if it helps.

Hope this relieves your anxiety. I hear you about food allergy issues as I had my own scare and ever ever careful (apples, almonds, cherries all make my throat itch during birch season).
If your parents have alleriges, you are likely to get them more so than someone who has allergy-free parents (yes, I got that nasty genetic makeup too :( ).

Thanks for weighing in wallycat. I don't really even think I have spring allergies, I just notice that some days my eyes itch a little, or I sneeze. I have never been bothered enough to take an antihistamine. I don't notice any reaction to carrots or almonds, and I eat a lot of those.

DH does have those allergies, and what he has I think has a cross-reaction to melon. He doesn't eat cantaloupe or mango,etc at certain times of the year as it makes his throat feel funny.

I hope it is only GERD, although from reading the description, I don't seem to have any other heartburn type symptoms. I am in my almost mid-40's, and like I said, some of my friends get heartburn from tomato products now. I mentioned it to my doctor last visit and he suggested an OTC antacid, but it was a very casual conversation. I realize my fear of food allergy is a bit of an overreaction!

I think tomatoes are in the same family as peppers and I don't have a problem with them. I have not had eggplant much either since making a tomato/eggplant/pepper soup that did seem to be too acidic for me, in my mouth and afterwards. Aren't they all related?

My parents have no real allergies except my dad developed a shellfish allergy later in life, so I try to avoid shellfish. Wow, I realize in this post I sound like a real hypochondriac! :eek:

[wallycat]

Nightshade for peppers, eggplant, tomatoes....yes....all in the same family, but not necessarily an allergy to all.

You do not sound like a hypochondriac; you sound like an informed person who witnessed an scary event ...and as it is life threatening and these food effects are new to your body, you are being conservative.

If you have an allergist, you may want to get a RAST test (blood work up) and/or other immuno-type checking for tomato. Just as an fyi, not all allergists feel that food allergy is reliably detectable. Carry an epi pen if that will relieve some anxiety.
I actually did an "oral challenge" after my tongue swelled eating home made guacomole. We thought it was the avocado and a cross reaction to latex..
I ate the whole avocado over the course of 4 hours in her office and nothing. Not even a tickle. I am still nervous to eat avocado, but I carry the epi pen for bee stings primarily and now just always have one with me. an oral challenge may help you with the worry at least.
Good luck.

[izzybaby]

For the last two years I have been having bouts of bloating, nausea and vomiting. I've finally made the link to tomato sauce. Raw tomatoes don't bother me and pizza doesn't seem to bother me either, but a cold tomato sauce makes me sick very shortly after eating it. It only lasts for a couple of hours and I'm the only one who ever gets sick, so I know it's not food poisoning. The brand doesn't necessarily matter, but I think it is linked to less processed sauces.

[Vanessa]

You can develop allergies suddently. I used to eat pizza beef wheat then one day I started getting swollen and sick for a whole straight week anytime I ate. Every day at the ER. Thankfully mom worked at the hospital but took me to the allergyst and discovered to our total surprised test reveleved allergies to among many things beef wheat tomato and strawberries. I had other sensitivities which after yrs they "faded out".
I later discovered my paternal grandma canned tomatoes and ate them but would get sick or developed "itchy" hands after handling tomatoes.

I have avoided the offending foods for yrs. I am now more careful lately since products have changed and tomato beef broth tends to sneak into things.

It sounds like you might have more of an intolerance than an allergy. I say this because you describe bloating etc and I am lactose intolerant and I get bloating etc after eating dairy which I just go ahead and eat but try to limit quantities.