An itchy mouth after Hollandse Nieuwe, or hives after pickled herring at midsummer? Herring is a staple from Finland to the Netherlands, and its main protein looks like the one in cod and salmon. Our test checks your blood for IgE to whole herring and to herring parvalbumin, as part of 300 allergens and allergen components, including the herring worm Anisakis.
Herring is a bony fish. Its main allergen is parvalbumin, a small muscle protein called Clu h 1. Parvalbumins from herring, cod, salmon, carp and mackerel look alike, so sensitisation to several fish at once is common.
Parvalbumin survives cooking, smoking and pickling well. Vinegar, salt and spices do not remove it, so pickled and raw herring both still carry it.
Herring often carries larvae of Anisakis, a small worm also called the herring worm. Eating raw or lightly cured herring that has not been frozen can expose you to it. That is why raw herring sold in the Netherlands must be frozen first.
Freezing and cooking kill the worm, but some of its proteins can still trigger IgE reactions. So a reaction after herring can be to the fish, to the worm, or both. Our panel measures herring and two Anisakis proteins, so your report shows which.
Reactions people describe after eating herring include itching in the mouth, hives, swollen lips, stomach cramps, vomiting and wheezing. They usually start within minutes to two hours. Some people react to the smell or steam of cooking fish.
Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, trouble breathing or feeling faint after eating is an emergency. Call 112 (EU) or your local emergency number. Do not wait for a test.
From a finger-prick sample, the lab measures IgE to a whole herring extract and to herring parvalbumin, a single protein (molecular component). Cod, salmon, mackerel, tuna, carp, swordfish, thornback ray and Anisakis are on the same panel of 300 allergens and allergen components.
Your lab report gives each value a class from Negative to Very high. That shows sensitisation, not a diagnosis. Discuss the result with a doctor before you change your diet.
Page last updated
One finger-prick sample checks IgE to 300 allergens and allergen components, from birch and peanut to cat and house dust mite. Post it to the lab, and about 5 days after it arrives you get a value for every one. Our plain-English guide shows you how to read them. €399 in total, €1.33 per allergen.
One possible reason is Anisakis, the herring worm. Raw and lightly cured herring is a classic source. Some people show IgE to the worm and not to fish. Our panel measures both, so a doctor can see which your blood reacts to.
No. Parvalbumin, the main fish allergen, survives vinegar, salt and heat well. Pickled herring still carries it.
Partly. Fish parvalbumins look alike, so many people sensitised to herring show IgE to cod, salmon or mackerel too. Your report lists eight fish separately, so you see the full pattern rather than guessing.
