If you live in the United States, you may not have heard of anyone being allergic to the little seeds that speckle your cheeseburger bun. But sesame allergies are very common in places where sesame is more prevalent, especially Japan and China.
A sesame allergy can trigger anaphylactic shock and often causes someone to pass out. In some cases, it can be fatal. Unfortunately, adults who suffer from a sesame allergy aren't known to ever overcome it. So, if you develop the allergy, you should avoid sesame for the rest of your life [source: Emerton].
In the past few decades, sesame has become more prevalent in the United States -- and so has the allergy to it. Experts predict the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will eventually add sesame to its list of the big eight allergenic foods that require labeling.
Next, we'll explore that notorious big eight list. These eight allergies account for nearly 90 percent of food-related allergic reactions in the United States.