Mouth allergy inflammation may obliterate pleasant eating sensations

Food allergy is first detected in the mouth. As offending, allergenic molecules pass through the mouth, surface antibodies, which are attached to mast cells, react with the food antigens. This triggers swelling and inflammation of the lips, mouth surfaces, and throat. The reaction may be minute and limited to swelling of a small area on the tongue, or it may cause a life-threatening swelling of the whole tongue and throat.
Continuous allergic inflammation in the mouth and nose may obliterate pleasant eating sensations and is associated with disordered food selection. The complete sensation of taste is dependent on proper smell, obliterated by a stuffy, swollen nose. People with blunted taste often prefer heavy doses of the primary tastes, bitter, salt, and sugar.