Food allergy in the context of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico

Food allergy is an immune reaction that occurs after ingesting food allergens. In Mexico, the "milpa diet" is the basis of the diet and has health benefits; however, it has been reported that these foods contain allergens that can induce food allergies. In the context of the World Cup being held in Mexico, visitors with food allergies are a vulnerable group, so it is important to provide both them and healthcare personnel with general information about the allergens present in the milpa diet.

Describe the main allergens identified in native Mexican foods, particularly from the milpa diet, that may represent a potential risk for travelers/fans with food allergies in the context of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.

A descriptive and retrospective study was conducted by searching the NIH/PubMed portal for reports of food allergies related to the milpa diet, selecting those that included allergens identified on the WHO/IUIS website. A descriptive analysis was then performed, considering only the most frequently implicated proteins associated with food allergies.

The Milpa diet includes 71 foods; 51/71 (68%) have food allergy reports, and only 13/51 (25.49%) have an identified allergen (peanut, tomato, sunflower seeds, corn, pea, lentil, pumpkin, chili, papaya, pineapple, amaranth, avocado, and green bean). The most frequently reported allergens were profilins 8/13 (61.53%), nonspecific lipid transfer proteins 7/13(53.84%) and PR-10 2/13(15.38%). 6/13% (46.15%) of these foods share at least two proteins. The main association of proteins was between nonspecific lipid transfer proteins and profilins reported in the same food, 4/13 (30.76%).

Many foods in the Milpa diet contain profilins, which are associated with oral symptoms. However, this diet includes some foods with nonspecific lipid transfer proteins, like peanuts, which can induce anaphylaxis.