My Lips Tingle When I Eat Kiwi. Am I Allergic?

Enzymes in kiwi and pineapple can cause a tingling sensation.

Photographer: Brendon O'Hagan

Hiya, it’s Kristen in chilly New York. Today, a fellow Brooklynite writes in with a question on a potential allergy. But before we get to that …

When I eat certain fruits (mostly kiwi and pineapple) my lips and the area around my mouth start tingling. It goes away after a short while. I tested negative for allergies to those fruits. Is it an undetected allergy? Shall I stop eating those fruits? Or shall I just put up with the inconvenience? — Batya, Brooklyn, New York

This has been a topic of conversation before on the Bloomberg health team — my colleague Riley suffers a similar fate whenever she eats apples.