Hi r/ThaiFood - I have a mystery for you. I have a intermittent food allergy (Hives, flushing, etc.) which has plagued me for years. To my frustration, I have never been unable to identify the allergen through any conventional testing or tracking.

On a recent visit to Thailand, I had flare up for 9 days straight, presumably from some ingredient in the food. This was a surprise as I am no stranger to Thai food - at least as it exists here in the US. I have eaten many Southeast Asian dishes here and have never had an issue.

Best I figure is that there is some common ingredient in "Thailand-Thai-food" which is not commonly used in US based Thai food. Does anyone here know of such ingredients?

Additional info:

• The symptoms started after the first in-flight meal (Bibimbap) on Korean Air. This is how I know it was food and not plants, pollen, mold, etc.
• The symptoms persisted throughout the trip: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui. So I don't think it was regional.
• Yes, I know that severe allergies/anaphylaxis can spontaneously develop if I keep willingly exposing myself to the allergens. Let's keep this thread focused on possible allergen identification :)

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