Food sensitivity. Handling reactions to foods and food additives

Food sensitivity is only one of several types of food-related reactions. Symptoms are not pathognomonic; hence, a broad differential diagnosis is often considered. Unless the anticipated reaction is systemic anaphylaxis, the role of any food suspected (by history, skin testing, and/or radioallergosorbent test) of causing the patient's symptoms should be verified by elimination-challenge testing. Dietary elimination is the most effective treatment, but its success depends on several factors.