Struggle with hay fever? You might also have this food allergy

If you suffer from hay fever, you'll know that just the sound of a lawnmower can be enough to bring on a sneeze or two.

From itchy eyes to a runny nose, the symptoms can make spring and summer miserable. But did you know that some people with hay fever can also have year-round allergic reactions to certain foods?

Hay fever can be caused by pollen, house dust mite, pet hair or skin flakes (dander), and affects about 26% of adults in the UK, external – a number that's tripled in the last two decades.

Pollen food syndrome, external also known as oral allergy syndrome (OAS) and pollen food allergy syndrome (PFAS) happens when your immune system mistakes certain raw foods (like apples, peaches or carrots) for pollen.

Around 2% of adults in the UK, external are affected by it – and for most it shows itself as mild itching or tingling around the mouth and throat, but in rare cases it can be more serious.

Some foods contain proteins which are very similar to those in pollen.

So when you think you're eating a delicious, juicy and absolutely harmless peach, for instance, your immune system is under the impression you're eating tree pollen – so releases histamines.

Histamines are part of the body's defense strategy, which is triggered when it detects a threat. They're what produces symptoms like sneezing and itching.

People with PFS may experience swelling and itching inside the mouth, throat and ears shortly after eating.

For the majority, the symptoms are mild and short-lived (especially with the aid of an antihistamine). But it can occasionally escalate to include breathing difficulties.

"In some cases, it causes very severe reactions," says Amena Warner, head of clinical services at charity Allergy UK.

This depends on the type of pollen you're allergic to. Generally speaking, though, raw fruit, vegetables, legumes and nuts are perhaps the most likely to trigger reactions.

Not sure what type of pollen you're sensitive to? You might be able to work it out by noticing when your symptoms are at their most severe.

Tree pollen

If your hay fever is at its worst from March to late May, your allergy's likely to be tree pollen.

Foods linked to tree pollen allergies are apple, apricot, cherry, coriander, kiwi, nectarine, peach, pear, plum, strawberry, celery, bean sprouts, carrot, green pepper, potato, soya, tomato, parsnip, peas, basil, fennel, oregano, parsley, paprika, pepper, thyme.

Grass pollen

If you find yourself sneezing mostly between May to July, then your allergy's likely to be to grass pollen.

Foods linked to this particular allergy are kiwi, melon, orange, watermelon, date, potato, Swiss chard, tomato, wheat, peas, peanut.

Weed pollen

If June to September is when you suffer the most, weed pollen is probably the culprit.

Foods that the body might mistake for weed pollen are, apple, melon, orange, peach, tomato, watermelon, celery, carrot, green pepper, onion, sunflower seed, mustard, spices, coriander, fennel, parsley.

You can be allergic to multiple types of pollen, though, and if it's a particularly wet or dry spring the dates might move. So this isn't a foolproof system.

"While we all know that there are people who have anaphylactic reactions to peanuts, some people have the same response to peaches specifically," explains Manchester University's Prof Clare Mills.

"This is something we've seen in the Mediterranean area. British people who may spend a large proportion of their year in Spain can get this kind of allergy."

Some people can also experience more serious reactions to other fruits and even veg (lettuce, cabbage, apricots, plums and cherries, for instance) – reactions which aren't always linked to PFAS and may not improve with cooking.

If you have an allergic response to peaches, you need to take it seriously. While it could be due to pollen food syndrome, for an unlucky few it won't and could have severe consequences, external.

If you experience severe allergic reactions to any food, you should seek advice from a healthcare professional who will conduct tests, says Warner.

Warner and the British Dietetic Association, external warn that you shouldn't be tempted to pay for unregulated tests, though.

"There are a lot of tests you can have done through the internet – but many are unvalidated. They won't give important information on how to deal with an allergy."

According to Mills, these types of allergies tend to impact adults more than children.

"Whether that's because you have to have been around for a certain length of time to be exposed to the differences in pollens, we're not sure yet – but it's often something people start developing in their 20s to 40s."

The wider environment and technological advances can also make a difference.

"We showed in a study that the level of a molecule [a lookalike of a molecule in the pollen that causes hay fever] increases in apples that have been stored in a modified atmosphere."

Apples are stored this way to keep them fresh so we have a year-round supply – but Mills' findings suggests this heightens the risk of them triggering reactions in people with PFS.

For most people, PFS – much like hay fever itself – is more annoying than dangerous.

But, if your symptoms feel severe, suddenly worsen or affect your breathing, see a doctor rather than trying to self-diagnose.

Originally published April 2022. Updated May 2026.

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