Anaphylaxis due to cochineal dye: the confirmation of the diagnostic method and the review of Japanese cases

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25460764
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Epidemiology and preventive medicine
• Research Institution: Oita University
• Principal Investigator: Takeo Naoko 大分大学, 医学部, 講師 (30423693)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Matsunaga kayoko 藤田保健衛生大学, 医学部, 教授 (80131192) ; Akiyama Hiroshi 国立医薬品食品衛生研究所, 食品部, 部長 (10260259)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: コチニール色素アレルギー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The numbers of patients with allergy against the cochineal dye are increasing in Japan. Twenty two cases were reported previously and six cases were newly enrolled. All cases were adult female and 85% of them were accompanied by anaphylaxis. Strawberry juice, fish meet sausage, which were made in Japan, and macaroon, which were made in France, were recent major sources of allergen. Skin prick test(SPT) and the serum level of specific IgE were the useful methods for the diagnosis of cochineal dye allergy and the serum level of specific IgE might be a good marker of the activity of allergy. There is a possibility that carminic acid contributes to the onset of this allergy, because the SPT using purified carminic acid showed the positive reaction.

Free Research Field

皮膚科