Food Allergy Testing in Sydney

Quick and Reliable Food Allergy Testing for a Healthier You
  • State-of-the-art allergy testing led by specialists
  • Comprehensive testing covering all food sensitivities
  • Personalised dietary advice based on your test results
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(02) 9221 1511

Skin Prick Testing Sydney

Fast, Accurate Skin Prick Allergy Testing to Improve Your Life.

The Benefits of Choosing Allergy Testing for Food Allergy Testing?

Allergy Testing Sydney is your top choice for food allergy testing and personalised allergy management. We offer rapid results, an extensive range of food tests, expert treatment, and advanced technological solutions to ensure accuracy and reliability. Our professional support helps find effective solutions tailored to your individual needs.

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Member of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy
Dr. Richard Baker

Understanding Food Allergy Testing

Allergy Testing Sydney offers comprehensive food allergy testing through skin prick, IgE blood, or patch tests. Skin prick tests quickly and easily identify sensitivities by applying allergens to the skin and measuring reactions. IgE blood tests are designed to detect specific antibodies for an allergy and is ideal for those who cannot take a skin prick test. Patch tests are used for delayed reactions, in which allergens are applied on the skin for 48 hours. Our experts identify the relevant allergens during your first visit to ensure identification and proper management of allergies.

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(02) 9221 1511

How We Conduct
Food Allergy Testing

1
Scheduling and Preparation

Stop certain medications as directed. Inform staff if you’re on beta-blockers or tricyclic antidepressants. Avoid specific nasal sprays a week before.

2
Consultation Day

The doctor reviews your history and selects allergens for testing. The nurse performs the tests under supervision. Further testing may be needed based on initial results.

3
Testing Procedure

You’ll be tested for food allergies on both forearms to ensure comprehensive results.

Got any questions?

Food allergy testing is a process used to identify whether a person has an allergic reaction to specific foods. It involves various methods, such as IgE blood tests, skin prick tests, and oral food challenges, to determine if the immune system reacts negatively to certain food proteins. The goal of food allergy testing is to accurately diagnose allergies so that individuals can avoid triggers and manage their condition effectively.

Allergy to food items is typically tested through a skin prick test, where potential food allergens are applied on the skin to see if there is any reaction. It can also be tested with a blood test for the presence or level of food-specific antibodies. Food allergy testing can also be done though patch tests, which apply extracts of potential food allergens to the skin and look for a reaction such as a rash, redness, or itching 48-72 hours later, are carried out to detect delayed-action allergies.

Specialists then interpret the results of these tests along with the patient’s medical history to diagnose food allergies and differentiate them from intolerances

No, food allergy testing and food intolerance testing are different. Food allergies involve the immune system and can cause severe reactions, while food intolerances typically involve digestive issues and are less serious. Testing methods vary, with allergies requiring immune-focused tests, and intolerances often identified through digestive-related assessments.

If you’re looking to get a food allergy test, we at Allergy Testing Sydney are here to help. We’ve been around for over 45 years, assisting tens of thousands of patients in improving their lives through accurate allergy identification and management. Our experienced team offers a range of tests, including IgE blood tests, skin prick tests, and more, ensuring you receive the most accurate diagnosis and personalised care.

Still have questions?

Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Please chat with our friendly team or email us at
info@allergytesting.com.au

Freedom From Allergies starts here!

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Book your food allergy test today

If you would like to make a booking, request a call back or simply make an inquiry, please message us using the form below and we will get back to you ASAP. Alternatively feel free to contact us.

Our Testing Services

Allergies can trigger various conditions. We provide targeted testing based on your clinical history to identify the most relevant allergens, ensuring effective treatment.

The skin prick test is a routine test performed by allergists. It involves placing small amounts of allergens onto the skin then with a small lancet a superficial break in the skin is made. The test is monitored for 15 minutes and observed for any signs of a wheal or flare reaction. The skin prick test is low risk and delivers quick results for the doctor to gain an indication of each patient’s sensitivity.
After an initial consultation, Dr Baker determines which allergens to test. The test will span over 40 allergens on your first appointment, with foods and inhalants extensively tested at no extra cost.
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Dr Baker’s preferred method of treatment is immunotherapy with a sublingual vaccine that is made on the premises and prescribed specifically for each patient. The treatment costs less than $1 a day and targets the allergens causing the patients sensitivity through a desensitising process.In order for the vaccine to be prescribed Dr Baker performs a second set of tests involving intradermal testing using very weak dilutions of the specific allergen in order in order to determine a safe and effective starting dose for each patient. The test involves injecting small amounts of diluted allergen extracts just under the skin. After waiting ten minutes, the skin is examined for a reaction. This procedure can be repeated using two to three dilutions of the same extracts, getting subsequently stronger or weaker each time. Once the patients skin reacts positively to a particular allergen(s), the test is complete and a vaccine can be made to desensitise against the allergens causing the patient problems.
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Dr Baker has an accreditted NATA laboratory on the premises where he performs the IgE tests. The levels of IgE immunoglobulin are often elevated in patients suffering from allergy. It is a quantative test that gives the doctor a clearer indication that the patient’s problem is allergy and not something else. The specific IgE sometimes referred to as RAST is a qualative test that measures the levels of IgE immunogloblin against specific allergens including both foods and inhalants.
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This test is performed in cases of contact dermatitis (Eczema) or any other allergy is suspected. The allergens are prepared in appropriate concentrations in white soft paraffin (e.g. Vaseline) and are then spread on to discs, 1 cm diameter. The discs (which are made of a special metal, cannot themselves provoke a reaction) are placed on the skin, usually on the back, and are kept in place by hypoallergenic tape. The skin is coded appropriately and the patient is asked to keep the skin dry. The patches are left in place for 48 hours. After 48 hours the discs are removed, the skin is examined and any redness or swellings are noted. The skin is re-examined after a further 48 hours for any remaining local redness or swelling. The interpretation of this form of testing is not as simple as it sounds and tends to be carried out by a doctor. The symptoms of contact dermatitis need to be brought under control before patch testing can be carried out, otherwise the results will be unreliable. Steroid creams need to be stopped for 3-4 weeks before testing as they may suppress the test response. Any professional interpreting skin, blood or patch tests must first interpret the results in the light of the patient’s history. No test should be read in isolation.
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Despite continuing advances in the diagnosis of immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediated inhalant and food allergy utilizing in vitro technology, the otolaryngic allergist should be familiar with the principles and practise of skin endpoint titration (SET). Skin testing techniques and responses will allow proper interpretation of in vitro-based antigen vial tests, will permit the blending of in vitro and in vivo test methods within the allergy practice, and will often give a clearer picture when a practitioner is caught in a confusing situation. Preparing to do a skin Endpoint Titration Test is time consuming and labour intensive requiring a trained scientific officer or doctor to perform the tests. A immunotherapy dosage for either injection or sub-lingual vaccine can be better determined using this method.
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Extract Taken from www.virtualmedicalcentre.com

A RAST test measures the level of allergen-specific IgE in your blood. That is, it measures the concentration of antibodies your body has created to against a particular food allergen. Interpreting a RAST result is slightly more complicated, however. This is because not everyone with the same concentration of allergen-specific IgE in their blood will react in the same way to the presence of an allergen in vivo (that is, in the flesh).

Someone with a relatively low concentration of allergen-specific IgE may have a fairly severe reaction while someone with a higher concentration of allergen-specific IgE may not react at all — that is, they’re not truly allergic to a food even though the blood test comes out positive. (This is known as a false positive.) RAST tests have a high sensitivity and fairly low specificity, meaning that they have a low rate of false positives and a fair number of false negatives, though this varies by allergen. In general, lower rates of allergen-specific IgE are correlated with a lower chance of reacting in a double-blind food challenge or in a real-world setting, especially if skin test results are negative and if there’s been no history of reaction to a given food.

Different foods have different specific IgE levels that are considered “predictive.” Where most people with a given level of specific IgE may react to one particular food, most people with that same level of specific IgE may not react to another food. Researchers determine these threshold levels by comparing RAST test results to the results of double-blind food challenges in order to find a level of specific IgE on the blood test where a very high percentage of people are truly allergic. This means that someone whose test results “look” identical for two different foods may be considered to have a positive result for one and a negative result for the other, if the foods have different threshold levels.

Specific IgE tests are usually returned in units of micrograms per milliliter (μg/mL). Some, however, are returned on a numerical rating scale (often, but not always, from 0 to 5 or 6). On rated tests, 0 almost always indicates an exceedingly low chance of a true food allergy, while the higher numbers normally mean very strong probability of allergy and a strong likelihood of a severe reaction. Your allergist may use these results to help determine some aspects of your treatment — to see whether a child is showing signs of outgrowing a food allergy, for instance.

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L7 William Bland Centre 229 Macquarie Street

Allergy Testing Sydney was established over 50 years ago. 
We are conveniently located in CBD.

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Level 7, 229-231 Macquarie St The William Bland Centre, Sydney NSW 2000

Visit us L7 William Bland Centre 229 Macquarie Street Sydney, NSW, 2000

Call us on (02) 9221 1511

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