Rice can cause an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals who consume the grain. Any food that uses rice – including those made with rice flour – has the potential to trigger a reaction. Unlike many food allergies, rice allergy afflicts adults more often than young children. In addition, dogs can be allergic to rice. The grain is found in many commercial dog foods.

The incidence of rice allergy in the United States and Europe is very low, because rice is not considered a staple food. In general, the more often a person is exposed to a food, the higher the likelihood that the body will become sensitized to it. For this reason, allergies to a particular food are highest in regions where the food is a staple of the local diet. In Japan, for instance, an estimated 10 percent of the population is believed to be allergic to rice. Rice allergy is also more common throughout East Asia, where rice is a staple of the local diet.

Rice pollen also causes hay fever (allergic rhinitis) symptoms in areas where it is grown commercially. Because it is a member of the grass family, its pollen becomes airborne and is easily inhaled.