Blog - Food allergies: Unproven diagnostic tests

Summary

There has been an increasing trend in commercially available diagnostic tests for food allergy and intolerance, but many of these tests lack an evidence base. In this article, Philippe Bégin from the University of Montreal describes the risks involved with using unproven diagnostic tests for food allergies and intolerances.

He highlights that alongside their high cost, they may lead to false diagnoses, with associated anxiety and unnecessary strict avoidance diets. They may also lead truly allergic people to believe they are not allergic to certain foods, which could cause them to eat a food that gives them a life-threatening reaction. He also provides a list of tests that are offered to consumers, but that are unproven and should be avoided.