Food Allergy Testing & Food Intolerance Testing in London

At the London Allergy and Immunology Centre we can provide food allergy testing in London. Below are the questions that our patients ask after severe reaction when food consumption is the suspected cause:

Was it an allergic reaction to food? 
What exact food was it?
Is it going to happen again?
What food do I need to avoid?

We offer consultations in dermatology, adult allergy and immunology, and paediatric allergy and immunology.

Please use the Electronic Appointment System 

or e-mail

If you require food allergy testing in London please include your age and a brief description of the problem. Your e-mail will be directed to the selected consultant.

We try to reply all e-mails and book appointments as soon as possible.

Once we receive the request the practice manager of your selected consultant will contact you with the details of your appointment.

We will reply to your e-mail request within one day and the waiting list to see our consultants is not more than 1 week.

We can give dietary advice after doing one or more of the following tests:

• Skin prick test with commercially available food extracts
• Prick to prick test with fresh or cooked food
• Challenge test with food in safe hospital environment
• Blood test Specific IgE to food (note not IgG)
• Biochip – molecular method of Specific IgE detection Immunocap ISAC

When the causing agent is found we will advice on dietary requirements and treatment in case of emergency.

Food allergy or Food intolerance?

When the patient experiences mild symptoms or the symptoms are not immediate it can be difficult to identify the cause. In many cases these causes are related to allergy and the tests outlined above can confirm this.

The primary task is to exclude likelihood of a life-threatening reaction!

If results for food allergy testing in London are negative, a close communication between the doctor and the patient with the help of dietary methods (food and symptom dairies followed by complex bio-chemical tests) can detect the condition known as intolerance, which is usually caused by an absence or low levels of enzyme’s that break down specific sugars in food.

We will take all your symptoms seriously, diagnose, and where permissible, treat the cause
We will try our best to get to the bottom of the of your problem
We will explain everything to you (no hidden charges and no “magic” supplements)
We use only traditional medical and scientific approaches.

Intolerance can be diagnosed by the exclusion of products one by one, with further reintroduction in a blinded manner, confirming absence and return of the symptoms.

Warning!!! 

Don’t be fooled with widely available IgG tests for food intolerance
There is no need to change your diet if IgG antibodies to food were detected
The presence of IgG antibodies does NOT indicate an allergy or intolerance to a specific food
IgG antibodies to food are formed in all healthy asymptomatic people as a part of the digestion process
There is no screening test for intolerance at present

Expert Interview at American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology 2011

From Medscape Allergy & Immunology
What the New Food Allergy Guidelines Offer to Clinicians
Expert Interview at AAAAI 2011
Matthew J. Fenton, PhD; Hugh A. Sampson, MD

If your doctor prescribed Adrenaline (Epinephrine) auto-injector

Make sure you have your auto-injector with you at all times and it is up to date

If you have an EpiPen Please follow the link to set up an expiry date reminder to your e-mail or mobile phone.

One may also think about wearing an ID that can potentially save his/her life by giving information about a diagnosed condition to rescuers.

Food allergy and air travel
While no airline can guarantee the complete absence of peanuts or other allergens from a flight, the allergy policy of airlines varies widely between companies. Choose an airline that will accommodate your needs.
If your doctor prescribed an adrenaline (epinephrine) auto-injector make sure that it is in date and you have a letter from your doctor that will allow to take it on board the air-plane in hand luggage.

Airlines and food allergy in the UK

British Airways
Website
BMA
Website
Virgin Atlantic
Website
Aer Lingus
Website
Ryanair
Website
Flybe
Website
EasyJet
Website
Thomas Cook Airlines
Website
Thomson Airways
Website

Airlines and food allergy in the USA
AirTran Airways Phone: (800) AIR-TRAN  Allergy Policy: Has guidelines for travelers with special needs. Special Meals: AirTran is a discount carrier and does not serve full meals on their flights. They do offer beverage service.

American Airlines Phone: (800)433–7300 Allergy Policy: American Airlines does not serve peanuts in-flight, but does serve other nuts, which may contain traces of peanut. They can not guarantee that a flight will be peanut-free. Be aware that American Airlines serve roasts nuts in the first-class cabin while the plane is in flight. Special Meals: American Airlines offers gluten-free and vegan (dairy-free) meals, which must be booked in advance.

Continental Airlines Phone: (800) 932-2732 Allergy Policy: Continental does not serve peanuts in-flight, but can not guarantee that food served will be free of all traces of peanuts. Special Meals: Contintental Airlines offers gluten-free and vegan (dairy-free) meals. They must be ordered at least 24 hours before departure.

Delta Air Lines Phone: (800) 221-1212 Allergy Policy As of June 1, 2012, Delta will refrain from serving peanuts on your flight if you notify them at least 48 hours before your flight of your allergy. Until then, Delta will create a “buffer zone” of three rows in front of and behind customers with severe peanut allergies. People seated within this zone will be served non-peanut snacks – the rest of the plane may receive peanuts. Delta will allow you to pre-board and sanitize your seat. Special Meals: Delta lists the name-brand snacks served on short flights on its web site. Gluten-free meals are available for longer flights. You must contact reservations at least 12 hours before departure for special meals.

Top 10 Tips for Airline Travelers with Food Allergy
from FAAN Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network

References:

The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical immunology has defined Nomenclatures for Allergy disease. This is described in the paper by:

* Johansson et al. 2001. A revised nomenclature for allergy. An EAACI position statement from the EAACI nomenclature task force (Allergy, 56:813-24) and in

* Johansson SGO et al. (2004). Revised nomenclature for allergy for global use: Report of the Nomenclature Review Committee of the World Allergy Organization, October 2003. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 113 (5), 832-836).