Dossier
Hay fever and pollen
Hay fever is an allergic reaction that is caused by pollen from trees, grasses and herbaceous plants. When this pollen is dispersed by the wind, people with hay fever suffer from sneezing, red and itchy eyes and a stuffy nose.
Weather conditions determine when 'hay fever plants' flower and how much pollen they release into the atmosphere. Every year, the progression of hay fever symptoms can differ. The daily pollen concentration in the atmosphere in the Netherlands is measured by the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and Elkerliek Hospital in Helmond.
As part of the Nature’s Calendar observation programme, secondary school students and volunteers keep track of when various hay fever plants begin flowering. The students who conduct observations are also involved with the GLOBE Programme, an international education programme on the environmental sciences established in 1995 by Al Gore.
Knowledge about hay fever is limited
Ambrosia
One plant species that is known world-wide for causing hay fever symptoms is Ambrosia. This species, which is an exotic in the Netherlands, produces large amounts of strongly allergenic pollen. Moreover, the plant flowers late in the year, so the hay fever season for people who are sensitive to Ambrosia can be up to two months longer. Ambrosia originated from North America and has become widespread in the Netherlands because its seeds are unintentionally present in birdseed and wildflower mixtures. By removing plants before they begin flowering, nuisance from the pollen can be prevented, and the species is less likely to spread.
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Publications on hay fever and pollen
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The impact of high versus standard enteral protein provision on functional recovery following intensive care admission : Protocol for a pre-planned secondary Bayesian analysis of the PRECISe trial
Clinical Nutrition ESPEN (2024), Volume: 59 - ISSN 2405-4577 - p. 162-170. -
Consumer segments less or more willing to adopt foods with microalgae proteins
Food Quality and Preference (2024), Volume: 113 - ISSN 0950-3293 -
What's cooking, if not meat? Effects of repeated home-use, recipe inspiration and meal context on perception of plant-based meat analogues
Appetite (2024), Volume: 193 - ISSN 0195-6663 -
Toward a Precision Ecotoxicology : Leveraging Evolutionary Conservation of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Product Targets to Understand Adverse Outcomes Across Species and Life Stages
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (2024), Volume: 43, Issue: 3 - ISSN 0730-7268 - p. 526-536. -
Response to “Liposome vesicle cannot be formed in non-aqueous phase”
Food Chemistry (2024), Volume: 439 - ISSN 0308-8146 -
Multi-scale investigation of the heat-induced transformation of starch in model dough and starch systems
Food Hydrocolloids (2024), Volume: 149 - ISSN 0268-005X -
Impact of food swap recommendations on dietary choices in an online supermarket : A randomized controlled trial
Appetite (2024), Volume: 194 - ISSN 0195-6663 -
Photons at the ultraviolet-visible interface : Effects on leaf expansion and photoinhibition
Scientia Horticulturae (2024), Volume: 326 - ISSN 0304-4238 -
The emulsifying performance of brewers' spent grains treated by colloid milling
Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies (2024), Volume: 91 - ISSN 1466-8564 -
Impact of mixed microalgal and bacterial species on organic micropollutants removal in photobioreactors under natural light
Bioresource Technology (2024), Volume: 393 - ISSN 0960-8524