Food Allergy Clinic

The Food Allergy Clinic confirms or rules out true IgE-mediated food allergies and builds a safe, individualised eating plan — an important distinction from food intolerance, which is far more common and doesn't carry a risk of anaphylaxis. Many patients avoid entire food groups for years based on a single bad reaction that was never formally tested.

The gold-standard diagnostic tool is a supervised oral food challenge, performed in a clinical setting with emergency medication on hand, where the suspected food is given in gradually increasing amounts while the patient is monitored. This is combined with skin prick and blood (specific IgE) testing to build a full picture.

Children with suspected milk, egg, or peanut allergy, and adults with reactions to shellfish, nuts, or specific fruits/vegetables, benefit most — as does anyone who has had a severe reaction (throat swelling, breathing difficulty, drop in blood pressure) after eating and needs an emergency action plan going forward.