Brandberg first mentioned her phobia of bananas in now-deleted posts on X in 2020, Expressen reports, which she described as "the world's weirdest phobia".
The phobia is so severe that her colleagues in the employment ministry have to make sure in advance that any rooms the minister is due to visit are banana-free, describing the problem in emails as "a strong allergy".
Sweden's speaker of parliament, Andreas Norlén, was also asked in September to make sure no bananas were present ahead of a meeting with Brandberg to discuss cooperation between parliament and the government during the current mandate period.
"It would be fantastic if you could remove [fruit bowls containing bananas] in the morning before she visits," reads an email from Brandberg's assistant reported by Expressen.
Brandberg originally told Expressen that she "did not think bananas were very nice" and that she "had a type of allergy, you could say".
When pressed as to whether she thought it was reasonable to demand areas she visits are banana-free if she doesn't have an allergy, she answered that the issue is "something that affects me as a person, which I think can stay that way."
Later she confirmed to the newspaper that she suffers from a phobia.
"It's something I get professional help with," she said.
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder defined as an extreme or irrational fear or aversion to something, commonly treated with counselling or exposure therapy.
Brandberg is not the only Swedish politician to suffer from the unusual phobia. Social Democrat MP Teresa Carvalho, wrote a post on X in support of Brandberg where she revealed that she "suffers from the same condition".
"We've had many tough debates on working conditions, but on this issue we stand united against a common enemy," she said.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he has "all respect" for people with phobias.
"It bothers me that a hardworking minister has almost been reduced to a phobia and is being made fun of because of it. I think people should be above that," he told the TT newswire.
Finance minister Elisabeth Svantesson also came out in support of Brandberg on X, describing Expressen's article about her phobia as a "real low point".
"Just like everyone else, politicians can also struggle with fears, phobias and anxiety," she said. "If it doesn't affect their work, is it really a matter of public interest?"
Comments (3)