Our food intolerance tests are done using a blood based method covering IgG 1,2,3,4, the blood sample collection process is done via a pin prick to the finger, it takes around 4-5 large droplets.

Generally, foods are broken down during digestion into their component parts e.g. amino acids, glycerides etc. These pass harmlessly through the gut as the gut becomes inflamed (bloated) these proteins enter the bloodstream. This is where they are recognized by the immune system as being ‘foreign’. The immune system responds by making IgG antibodies to these foods.

You can't test immune reactions via a hair sample, and in many cases there have been discrepancies in results when parts of the hair have been coloured/bleached. This has led to inconsistency in the sample tested twice. Our IgG 1,2,3,4 blood based testing covers the full range of antibodies responses, this is important, if a particular food elevates any antibodies against it, this means your gut and immune system recognises that food as a threat. This could affect the nutrients absorbed from this particular food and leads to multiple symptoms.

Food extracts are 'printed' onto nitrocellulose 'pads'™ on a glass microscope slide, together with calibration standards and controls. A blood sample provided by the patient is diluted and dispensed onto each printed microarray. Food IgG antibodies, if present, bind to the food extracts and the results are measured by a high-resolution scanner, before being calibrated against the standards using the reporting software to give quantitative results. This software then produces a tailor-made printout of the final food IgG antibody result for each food on the requested food panel.

A pin-prick blood sample is required. Results are available within 7 working days.