Cashew nut, f202

Cashew is a tropical evergreen tree belonging to the Anacardiaceae family. It is a very versatile crop that is grown commercially in many parts of the world. The unique features of this tree are its fruits, consisting of a pseudopod (cashew apple), which develops in the form of a yellowish-red swollen peduncle, and a real fruit, which develops by enclosing a kidney-shaped nut in a double hard shell, growing at the end of the apple.

Cashew nuts are eaten raw or fried as snacks or added to butter, sweets, confectionery, chocolate, and ice cream. Oral ingestion or direct contact with the skin/mucous membrane are two ways of exposure to cashew nuts that cause allergic reactions in humans. These allergic reactions include skin lesions (hives and angioedema), gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain and vomiting), and even anaphylaxis. In addition, atopic conditions such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic dermatitis may occur. It is important to note that the main food allergens found in cashew nuts are Ana o 1, Ana o 2, and Ana o 3. Extensive cross-reactivity has been reported between cashew nuts and pistachios and, to some extent, with other nuts such as hazelnuts, walnuts, and peanuts, as well as citrus seeds.

The determination of specific IgE in human blood to cashew nuts, f202, shows the body's reaction to this allergen.

Analysis method: ImmunoCAP method (Immunofluorescence in the solid phase)

Units of measurement: kU/l

Biomaterial for analysis: venous blood