Identifying Food Allergies
Many people in the UK suffer from symptoms related to food allergy or intolerance.
Some of the most common questions that our patients ask us after they’ve had a severe reaction and suspect that food was the cause are:
- Was it an allergic reaction to food?
- Which particular food was it?
- Is it going to happen again?
- What food do I need to avoid?
ImmunoCap ISAC® blood test can give a wide picture of sensitisation as it screens simultaneously 112 allergenic components food and airborne allergens and can help to diagnose oral allergy syndrome and cross reactions.
Once the cause of your allergy has been identified, steps can be taken to reduce the risk of further reactions. You can arrange an appointment with one of our allergy consultants.
Do I Have A Food Allergy Or Food Intolerance?
When a patient experiences mild or delayed symptoms it can be difficult to identify the cause. In many cases an allergy is the cause and the tests outlined above can confirm this. The primary goal is to exclude the possibility of a life-threatening allergic reaction and help you manage your allergies going forward.
Food intolerance is usually caused by an absence or low levels of enzymes that break down specific sugars in food for instance enzyme lactase that helps to digest milk sugar lactose.
An allergy is not the same as an intolerance and it is important to seek advice from a healthcare professional to determine exactly what your symptoms are caused by.
Intolerance can be diagnosed by the exclusion of foods one by one, with further reintroduction in a blinded manner, confirming the absence or return of the symptoms.
There is a genetic blood test that we also offer that can help to diagnose lactose intolerance (Intolerance test request form)
Please note Lactose intolerance test is not included in ISAC test. ISAC tests for milk protein allergy