{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T13:11:23Z","timestamp":1789996283735,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"18","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,16]],"date-time":"2026-09-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789516800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) is increasingly incorporated into contemporary foods, yet its allergenic potential remains poorly characterized. Published clinical evidence is limited to a small number of case reports, conference reports, and one case series describing immediate IgE-mediated reactions, cutaneous manifestations, and anaphylaxis. Molecular studies have identified candidate allergenic protein families, including 2S albumins, 7S vicilin-like globulins, 11S legumin-like globulins, and oleosins, and have demonstrated IgE recognition and potential cross-reactivity, particularly with sesame. However, molecular cross-recognition does not establish clinically relevant cross-allergy. This structured narrative review synthesizes the available clinical and molecular evidence regarding chia seed allergy, with emphasis on clinical manifestations, candidate allergens, chia\u2013sesame cross-reactivity, diagnosis, and major knowledge gaps. Current evidence supports chia as a potential emerging food allergen but is insufficient to determine prevalence, natural history, reaction thresholds, or individual risk. Standardized diagnostic extracts, validated specific IgE thresholds, component-resolved diagnostics, and chia-specific oral food challenge protocols are currently lacking. Prospective clinical studies and further molecular characterization are required to establish the true clinical significance of chia seed allergy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu18183027","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,16]],"date-time":"2026-09-16T10:09:17Z","timestamp":1789553357000},"page":"3027","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Chia Seed Allergy: Emerging Clinical Evidence, Molecular Allergens, and the Unresolved Question of Cross-Reactivity"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-7255-0835","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Corina","family":"Porr","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Allergology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania"},{"name":"Allergology Department, County Clinical Emergency Hospital Sibiu, Bulevardul Corneliu Coposu 2\u20134, 550245 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anca","family":"Vidrighin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-2806-2688","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alina","family":"Catana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hematology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania"},{"name":"Department of Haematology, County Clinical Emergency Hospital of Sibiu, 550245 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-9991-7052","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emi","family":"Preda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania"},{"name":"Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, Foi\u0219or Clinical Hospital of Orthopaedics, Traumatology and Osteoarticular TB, 021382 Bucharest, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-1552-7961","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valentin-Cristian","family":"Iovin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctoral School Department, Victor Babe\u0219 University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timi\u0219oara, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"},{"name":"Department III Functional Sciences, Physiology Discipline, Victor Babe\u0219 University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timi\u0219oara, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"},{"name":"Centre of Immuno-Physiology and Biotechnologies (CIFBIOTEH), Department of Functional Sciences, Physiology, Victor Babe\u0219 University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timi\u0219oara, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9373-3670","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gabriela","family":"Iancu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania"},{"name":"Clinic of Dermatology, County Clinical Emergency Hospital Sibiu, Bulevardul Corneliu Coposu 2\u20134, 550245 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dana","family":"Harris","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4845-8953","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cosmina","family":"Diaconu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing and Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550024 Sibiu, Romania"},{"name":"Clinic of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, County Clinical Emergency Hospital Sibiu, Bulevardul Corneliu Coposu 2\u20134, 550245 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Laganaro, M., Pieger, A.M., Mu\u00f1oz-Gonz\u00e1lez, A., Noriega Fern\u00e1ndez, E., Ververis, E., Germini, A., and Fern\u00e1ndez Dumont, A. 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