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Torchiest

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I did some searching and didn't see any promising threads on this subject. My wife is allergic to bananas. I just brewed a hefe-weizen this week. I'm wondering if the same chemicals that produce the banana flavor and aroma are what she is allergic to, or if it's something intrinsic to the banana itself. Because she doesn't care for most of my homebrews, and I've been trying to do styles more to her liking, but it would be a shame if the one I made for her she can't drink anyway. Does anyone know anything about this?
 
After some quick google searching I found this:

Banana allergy can take two different forms: one associated with allergy to tree pollen, such as birch, and another type associated with latex allergy. People with birch-pollen allergy can develop symptoms either immediately or up to 1 hour after eating fresh banana or a banana-containing food. Symptoms comprise local reactions in the mouth and throat with itching and inflammation (called oral allergy syndrome, OAS).
Others develop banana allergy because of the similarity between the allergens in banana and natural rubber latex (e.g. gloves, condoms, balloons) a condition known as the latex-fruit syndrome. Symptoms developed by these individuals comprise generalised urticaria, abdominal pain, vomiting and sometimes life-threatening symptoms. These individuals often develop adverse reactions to chestnut, avocado, mango and kiwi.

And this is the chemical responsible for the banana flavor in hefeweizens:
Amyl acetate (also pentyl ethanoate, pentyl acetate) is an organic compound and an ester with the chemical formula CH3COO(CH2)4CH3 and the molecular weight 130.18 g/mol. It has a scent similar to bananas and apples which is not detectable by all people. The compound is the condensation product of acetic acid and 1-pentanol. However, esters formed from other pentanol isomers (amyl alcohols), or mixtures of pentanols, are often referred to as amyl acetate.

Hopefully, that can help you decide.
 
I have the "local reaction in the throat" problem with very ripe bananas, but no problems with hefes. Allergies tend to be to proteins, and Amyl acetate isn't one, so she isn't likely to have a problem.

The gripping hand: allergies are very specific and the only way to be certain is to try a sample.
 
I really doubt it, hefeweizen basically has an artificial banana flavor. but if its a life threatening allergy I wouldn't take any risks.
 
Thanks for the helpful info. We work at a pub together, and I let her try a hefe-weizen sample. It didn't seem to bother her at all. And she had one on her own at home without problems either, so I guess it's okay! :D
 
the chemical that gives bananas their distinct odor is isopentyl acetate
( i made it in lab this week)
it would be interesting to see if some of your ingredients contained this compund although it is unlikely
 
It's easy, ferment cool and you'll minimize the banana esters (which maximizes the clove esters) and then you'll minimize the risk.
 
Totally off topic, but welcome back Torchiest. Haven't seen you posting in awhile.
 
Haha, yeah, been busy living the dream. Got a house and a wife in the last year. But I vow to get back in the trenches and start cranking out the brews again! :mug:
 
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