The penicillin molecule is a product of the penicillin mold
Many people believe they are allergic to penicillin — it’s the most common perceived drug allergy — but several studies have shown that most folks who think they are allergic are not. Perhaps they once were, but when people who thought they were allergic were tested, virtually none showed allergic reaction. In a test of 146, presumably allergic patients at McMaster University, only two had their penicillin allergy confirmed; 98.6% of the patients tested negative. A similar study at the Mayo Clinic tested 384 pre-surgical patients with a history of penicillin allergy; 94% tested negative. They were given clearance to receive penicillin antibiotics before, during, and after surgery. Read a summary here.
Orange showing three different strains of the penicillin mold; some of these are toxic.
This is very good news. Penicillin is a low-cost, low side-effect antibiotic, effective against many diseases including salmonella, botulism, gonorrhea, and scarlet fever. The penicillin molecule is a common product of nature, produced by a variety of molds, e.g. on the orange at right, and in cheese. It is thus something people have been exposed to, whether they realize it or not.
Penicillin allergy is a deadly danger for the few who really are allergic, and it’s worthwhile to find out if that means you. The good news: that penicillin is found in common cheeses suggests, to me, a simple test for penicillin allergy. Anyone who suspects penicillin allergy and does not have a general dairy allergy can try eating appropriate cheese: brie, blue, camembert, or Stilton. That is any of the cheeses made with penicillin molds. If you don’t break out in a rash or suffer stomach cramps, you’re very likely not allergic to penicillin.
There is some difference between cheeses, so if you have problems with Roquefort, but not brie or camembert, there’s still a good chance you’re not allergic to penicillin. Brie and camembert have a white fuzzy mold coat of Penicillium camemberti. This mold exudes penicillin — not in enough quantity to cure gonorrhea, but enough to give taste and avoid spoilage, and enough to test for allergy. Danish blue and Roquefort, shown below, have a different look and a sharper flavor . They’re made with blue-green, Penicillium roqueforti. This mold produces penicillin, but also a small amount of neurotoxin, roquefortine C. It’s not enough to harm most people, but it could cause an allergic reaction to folks who are not allergic to penicillin. Don’t eat a moldy orange, by the way; some forms of the mold produce a lot of neurotoxin.
For people who are not allergic, a thought I had is that one could, perhaps treat heartburn or ulcers with cheese; perhaps even cancer? H-Pylori, the bacteria associated with heartburn, is effectively treated by amoxicillin, a penicillin variant. If a penicillin variant kills the bacteria, it seems plausible that penicillin cheese might too. And since amoxicillin, is found to reduce the risk of gastric cancer, it’s reasonable to expect that penicillin or penicillin cheese might be cancer-protective. To my knowledge, this has never been studied, but it seems worth considering. The other, standard treatment for heartburn, pantoprazole / Protonix, is known to cause osteoporosis, and increase the risk of cancer, and it doesn’t taste as good as cheese.
The blue in blue cheese is Penicillium roqueforti. Most people are not allergic.
Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming, who noticed that a single spore of the mold killed the bacteria near it on a Petrie dish. He tried to produce significant quantities of the drug from the mold with limited success, but was able to halt disease in patients, and was able to interest others who had more skill in large-scale fungus growing. Kids looking for a good science fair project, might consider penicillin growing, penicillin allergy, treatment of stomach ailments using cheese, or anything else related to the drug. Three Swedish journals declared that penicillin was the most important discovery of the last 1000 years. It would be cool if the dilute form, the one available in your supermarket, could be shown to treat heartburn and/or cancer. Another drug you could study is Lysozyme, a chemical found in tears, in saliva, and in human milk (but not in cow milk). Alexander Fleming found that tears killed bacteria, as did penicillin. Lysozyme, the active ingredient, is currently used to treat animals, but not humans.
Robert Buxbaum, November 9, 2017. Since starting work on this essay I’ve been eating blue cheese. It tastes good and seems to cure heartburn. As a personal note: my first science fair project (4th grade) involved growing molds on moistened bread. For an incubator, I used the underside of our home radiator. The location kept my mom from finding the experiment and throwing it out.
I was diagnosed with penicillin allergy when 7 and since then every type of penicillin including cephlosporins have given a reaction. Reactions are hives (ceph.) to anaphal. when given penicillian at 7. It never occurred to me (not sure why) about blue cheese etc…that said, I’ve never had a reaction to moldy cheeses – is that even a possibility? I haven’t had any penicillian family since I was 15. I did have cephlasporin about 3 years ago and had no reaction until the 2nd to last day when I broke out in hives all over (including bottom of feet).
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So, I was diagnosed as Anaphylactic to cephalosporins last year. As well as likely Penicillin. What makes mine a little special – I’m cutaneously triggered. I didn’t get the ‘memo’ about moldy cheese. Had some boxing day, but not the crust of the brie, itchy mouth, settled with antihistamines. Had 3 small pieces of camembert, itchy mouth. Took antihistamine. Few hours later….. red, itchy rash all over my arms….. guess I won’t be eating that again…..
I had a bad allergic reaction to penicillin injections years ago and had four hourly adrenalin injections for some time afterwards. I stayed away from blue cheeses as well after that, but didn’t realise white mould cheeses could be a problem.
Then recently I ended up in hospital after anaphylactic reaction to ripe brie. Vomiting, diarrhoea, hives. My allergist had never come across that connection before – said there was only one other recorded case he could find in medical records. I carry Epipens at all times now, just in case.
There certainly seems to be some conjecture out there in the literature about the risk and even legitimacy of having an allergic reaction to the drug triggered by the mould cheeses…. I now wonder a bit about the possibility of antibiotic residue(s) in other foods….??
Spoke to my allergist, he’s read about Penicillium camemberti (white mould) and Penicillium roqueforti triggering allergic reactions but has not to date (before me) have a patient have a reaction. He had be have a blood test to see if I have become sensitised to the mould’s as well…. but the lab ran my blood for the drug not the mould so I have to go and have my bloods retaken to test for the mould…..
I was a bit lax about actually having my epipen on hand but I’m much more diligent now……
I’m not sure how privileged we are to be in such a select group! I didn’t have the blood tests, as the allergist said we knew I was allergic to penicillin, so it was logical that the mould on the brie was causing the reaction, though in my reading it shouldn’t, as they are different penicillin species. He hadn’t known before my case that spores are now sprayed onto brie etc to hasten ripening ( he contacted several different manufacturers who confirmed this).
Anyway, I avoid anything that could be mouldy now, and I can’t even eat raw mushrooms, though I’m ok when they’re cooked.
It’s been interesting chatting to you. Stay safe! I’d be interested in hearing if you come across any new info.
Cheers Jackie! Be well too! If I find anything else I’ll let you know. Just had my bloods done again for the second time yesterday. My allergist just wanted to confirm that I’m not separately sensitised to the actual mould rather than the drug. He advised the mould species do make some of the drug but it’s usually not enough to cause reaction however the challenge is there is literally no way to quantify how much there may be in a given cheese….
Likewise if you come across any updated info I’d be keen to hear it! I’m very new to this whole allergy game was diagnosed 2017…
Penicillin allergy may be very rare, but when it occurs it can be deadly. When I was a youngster, the younger girl across the street died from a penicillin injection. You knew her parents, much later in life.
Thank you. I adjusted the text to make it clearer that there is a deadly danger to penicillin use if you have the allergy.