f221 Coffee
Allergens within Food of Plant Origin
- Latin name: Coffea spp.
- Family: Rubiaceae
- Common names: Coffee
C. Arabica – Arabica or Arabian Coffee
C. canephora – Robusta or Congo Coffee
C. liberica – Liberian Coffee
Food
A food, which may result in allergy symptoms in sensitised individuals.
Allergen Exposure
Geographical distributionCoffee was originally consumed in ancient Abyssinia. Cultivated by the Arabians since 600 A.D., Coffee is now used throughout the world.
Coffee comes from an evergreen, glabrous shrub or small tree, up to 5m tall when unpruned. It is widely grown in the warmer, moister mountainous regions of the world. Dried seeds or "beans" are roasted, ground, and brewed to make 1 of the 2 most important beverages in the Western world. Instant Coffee is the dried extract of roasted, ground Coffee.
Coffea arabica (mild, refined, fragrant) accounts for 60% of the world's production and Coffea robusta (strong, full-bodied, higher caffeine) for 30%.
Despite its name, C. arabica originated in Ethiopia, where it grows at elevations between 1,375 to 1,830m. From Arabia, cultivation spread throughout the West Indies and Central America and favourable regions of South America. Later, the plant reached India and Sri Lanka.
Environment
In most places brewed Coffee is preferred, but instant Coffee is commonly used for convenience. (Additives and Coffee substitutes or extenders include roasted Chicory, Chickpea, cereals, fruits and vegetables. These may be added in the manufacturing of some instant Coffees.) De-caffeinated Coffee of both kinds is also popular. In their native Ethiopia, beans have been used as a masticatory since ancient times, and are also cooked in butter to make rich flat cakes. In Arabia a fermented drink from the pulp is consumed. Coffee is widely used as a flavouring, as in ice cream, pastries, candies, and liqueurs. The caffeine from Coffee is commonly extracted and put to a variety of uses (see below).
Coffee contains over 200 substances, including caffeine, liverine, methylliberine, paraxanthine, theacrine, theobromine, theophylline, acids (chlorgenic, acetic, citric, formic, fumaric, lactic, malic, oxalic, quinic, quinides), carbohydrates (arabinose, fructose, galactose, glucose, inositol, mannitol, mannose, sucrose, xylose), lipids, minerals, and bases (betaine, choline, niacin, trigonelline).
Caffeine tends to expand blood vessels so that more blood flows; caffeine acts on the central nervous system, kidneys, heart, and muscles. It has many medicinal and folk-medicinal uses.
Unexpected exposure
Coffee pulp and parchment are used as manures and mulches, and are occasionally fed to cattle in India. Coffelite, a type of plastic, is made from Coffee beans. The wood is hard, dense, and durable, takes a good polish, and is suitable for tables, chairs, and turnery. Coffee with iodine is used as a deodorant. Caffeine has been described as a natural herbicide. Caffeine is a widespread additive in over-the-counter diet pills, pain killers, and stimulants.
Allergens
Coffee allergens resulting in occupational allergy (asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis) have been described. See Green Coffee bean k70.
No allergens resulting in food-allergic reactions have been described to date.
Potential Cross-Reactivity
N/AClinical Experience
IgE-mediated reactionsSee Green Coffee bean k70 for adverse effects from the manufacture or handling of Green Coffee Bean, which may result in symptoms of occupational asthma, rhinitis and conjunctivitis.
A study described a male who experienced 4 allergic incidents after drinking Coffee. Sensitisation to Coffee and to the Gum Arabic coating roasted Coffee beans was demonstrated by skin-specific IgE tests and by basophil degranulation tests (1).
Other reactions
The consumption of Coffee can have diverse non-allergy effects, especially diverse where the increase of ventilatory frequency is concerned. The effect on bronchospasm may be beneficial. But Coffee has been suspected of contributing to the development of chronic airflow obstruction (COPD) and bronchial cancer. If Coffee is taken in large quantities by pregnant women, there is an increased risk of neonatal apnoea in the newborn (2).
Eosinophilic cystitis attributed to drinking Coffee has been reported (3).
Both regular and decaffeinated Coffees have a cholinomimetic action distinct from any effect of caffeine and reversible by atropine. The bioactive fraction was purified from instant decaffeinated Coffee. Extracts of Green Coffee beans and roasted ground Coffees showed that the cardioactive compound was present only in roasted Coffees. Similar analyses of other commonly consumed beverages, including Teas and Cocoa, showed that this compound was not present in beverages other than Coffee (4).
The mechanism underlying Coffee-induced heartburn and dyspepsia remains poorly understood. This has led to speculation that variations in Coffee processing may be important. In a study to determine whether a coffee brewed with coffee beans processed using conduction roasting will result in fewer symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux and dyspepsia in coffee-sensitive individuals compared to a differently processed yet otherwise similar coffee, consumption of coffee by 30 Coffee-sensitive individuals resulted in heartburn, regurgitation, and dyspepsia in most individuals for both types of coffee. No significant differences in the frequency or severity of heartburn, regurgitation, or dyspepsia were demonstrated between the two Coffees either in the fasting state or after the test meal (5).
See Green Coffee bean k70 for adverse effects from the manufacture or handling of Green Coffee bean, which may result in symptoms of occupational asthma, rhinitis and conjunctivitis.
References:
- Moneret-Vautrin DA, Kanny G, Faller JP, Levan D, Kohler C. Severe anaphylactic shock with heart arrest caused by coffee and gum arabic, potentiated by beta-blocking eyedrops. [French] Rev Med Interne. 1993;14(2):107-11
- Martinet Y, Debry G. Effects of coffee on the respiratory system. [French] Rev Mal Respir 1992;9(6):587-92
- Sanchez Palacios A, Quintero de Juana A, Martinez Sagarra J, et al. Eosinophilic food-induced cystitis. Allergol Immunopathol Madr 1984;12(6):463-9
- Tse SY. Coffee contains cholinomimetic compound distinct from caffeine. I: Purification and chromatographic analysis. J Pharm Sci. 1991;80(7):665-9
- DiBaise JK. A randomized, double-blind comparison of two different coffee-roasting processes on development of heartburn and dyspepsia in coffee-sensitive individuals. Dig Dis Sci 2003;48(4):652-6
2004