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Food Allergy Testing

 

Back to laboratory testing

There are a range of different mechanisms which can cause a particular food not to agree with us and therefore, no one test can give a definitive answer as to whether or not a food allergy or intolerance exists.

Your practitioner will be able to guide you as to which test may be more appropriate, largely based upon the types of symptoms that you experience.

Further information on these test can be found below:

 

FACT Test

Food allergy is a common problem in children and adults. Many patients present with adverse reactions to foods, but are not diagnosed with "allergies" by routine methods.

To date, the traditional diagnosis of food allergy is based on clinical history, skin-prick tests, the determination of specific IgE class antibodies from serum, and the gold standard "food challenge", which is both cumbersome and problematic to perform. It is now known that the underlying mechanisms for allergy are not restricted to IgE-mediated reactions alone, but that there are many different mechanisms that can give rise to these allergy symptoms. This test measures the release of chemical mediators from white blood cells once they have been challenged with potential allergens rather than simply looking for which antibodies are present.

There is therefore a marked discrepancy between those displaying allergy reactions, and those with traditionally diagnosed food allergy. This advanced allergy assays provides a powerful tool for the detection of adverse reaction to food and additives. By measuring the cellular reaction to food allergens, both IgE mediated and non-IgE mediated reactions can be reliably detected.

IgE Allergy Test

This test measures levels of specific IgE antibodies for acute classical allergies, against 37 common foods. Symptoms usually present immediately and include hayfever, asthma, urticaria, swollen/itchy throat, tongue, lips, gums, watery/itchy/swollen eyes, rhinitis, colic, anaphylaxis, eczema, and skin rashes.

IgE inhalant Profile

This panel identifies classical (IgE) inhalant allergies to 27 of the most common airborne allergens. Symptoms usually present immediately and include hayfever, asthma, urticaria, watery/itchy/swollen eyes, rhinitis, eczema, and skin rashes.

IgG Food Profile

IgG antibodies are associated with "delayed" or non-atopic food reactions that exacerbate or contribute to many different health problems. Simultaneous high levels of many IgG food-specific antibodies can also be associated with intestinal hyper permeability.