Contact dermatitis to foods and spices

Cutaneous reactions to foods and spices occur in both the workplace and at home in those who grow, handle, prepare, or cook food. As spices are also used in cosmetics and perfumes other exposures are found. Several patterns have been described upon contact with food including irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, contact urticaria, phototoxic contact dermatitis, and protein contact dermatitis. The purpose of this article is to review the approach to a patient suspected of having a cutaneous reaction to food or spices, as well as discuss these reactions and the allergens that cause them.