Most children (85%) with sesame allergy will tolerate the intact seeds despite reacting to crushed products such as sesame and tahini paste. The processing and breaking down of the seeds releases the allergen and sesame pastes and oils are more likely to trigger an allergic reaction than ingestion intact seeds. So there may be a false sense of security if a child can eat a bread bun covered in intact sesame seeds without reacting.
Ref: Annals Allergy Asthma and Immunology 9 July 2026
