Sesame proteins belong to the same protein families as allergens in legumes, nuts, and other seeds, so positive tests to these foods are common. True clinical cross-reactivity is less common: much of the overlap is co-allergy — separate allergies that happen to occur together.
| Food | Common sources | What is known |
|---|---|---|
| Poppy seed | Bakery products, spice mixes | Documented cross-reactivity with sesame |
| Kiwi, rye, hazelnut | Fruit, bread, nuts | Associations reported in studies |
| Peanut, tree nuts | Nut butters, snacks | Often occur alongside sesame allergy (co-allergy), but usually not because of shared proteins — get tested for each |
| Legumes, sunflower seed | Soy, chickpea, sunflower butter | No established clinical cross-reactivity; sunflower seed allergy exists independently, and shared processing with sesame is common |
People with peanut or tree-nut allergies are more likely to also be allergic to sesame, mostly as a separate co-allergy rather than through shared proteins. Ask your allergist whether sesame testing is needed.