Blood Tests for Allergies
Q: My allergist has performed skin tests which have been of some help. Have you information on the various kinds of blood tests available for possible food allergies?
A: There are two kinds of food allergy blood test. One is IgE based and reflects the most common allergic reactions. One can choose each food to be tested, shrimp, salmon, orange, peanut, etc. Another type of food test measures IgG antibodies to foods. This is controversial with unclear clinical significance since people can have these type of positive tests without any clinical problem.