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How do I know if my food allergy tests were false positives?

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Question
I had a skin prick test and saw a huge panel of positives. However, I have had these foods and did not have an allergic reaction. Can I eat these foods? Could some of these be false positives?
Answer

False positives are common and can occur up to 50% of the time. This is why food testing panels are not recommended. If you tolerate the foods without adverse events then the test is a false positive. You can learn more about food allergies here.

Categories
Diagnosis, Food Allergy
Answered by

Douglas T. Johnston, DO, FAAAAI, FACAAI, is an allergist/clinical immunologist at Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Assistant Professor at Edward Via School of Osteopathic Medicine in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He is a fellow of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI). He has lectured at national and international medical conferences and has publications in several medical journals, including “Clinical Immunology,” “World Allergy Organization Journal,” “Journal of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology,” “The Journal of the American Medical Association,” and the “New England Journal of Medicine.”

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