Food hypersensitivity

Food allergy is one of several causes of adverse reactions to foods. The underlying immunologic mechanism varies from one manifestation to another, hence no current single laboratory test can be expected to be positive in every case. The diagnosis could be suggested by information gathered from the medical history or screening procedures, such as trials of elimination diets, the food/symptom diary, skin testing, and in vitro-specific IgE antibody measurement. All foods suspected by any of the aforementioned methods should be subjected to verification by appropriate elimination-challenge testing, preferably in a double-blind, placebo-controlled manner. Basically, treatment is dietary elimination, and its success requires identification and avoidance of all offending foods and control of other contributory factors.