Food Allergies vs Food Intolerance

What is the difference between food allergies and food intolerances?

Food allergies and food intolerances are two different conditions with different causes and symptoms.

What Is A Food Allergy?

An allergy is an over-reaction of the immune system, your body's natural defence system. True allergy occurs when your body responds as though it's under attack, releasing Type I IgE antibodies to 'fight off' the allergen by mistake, even though the allergen is normally harmless. These are the antibodies that are measured in an IgE allergy test.

Allergic reactions are often triggered by food like peanuts, shellfish and milk, and inhaled allergens such as dust, pollen and pet dander.

Allergy symptoms typically appear within minutes to two hours after you have been exposed to the allergen.

What Is A Food Intolerance?

Food intolerances are characterised by slow-onset symptoms and the presence of Type III IgG antibodies in the blood. The reactions to an intolerance can occur from between 8 and 72 hours after consumption of the offending food or additive, so are more difficult to pinpoint than food allergies.

Many people are oblivious to food intolerances until they take a comprehensive food intolerance test. The test tells you which foods to exclude from your diet and which foods you should eat in moderation in order to reduce or eliminate symptoms.

Quick Comparison Table

How To Determine Whether You Have A Food Allergy Or A Food Intolerance

We offer a range of testing options to help determine if you have a food allergy or food intolerance.

There may even be cases where you are unsure whether the culprit is a food allergy (Type I IgE) or food intolerance (Type III IgG). To help solve this puzzle, we are now offering a special testing protocol called the ImuPro PreScreen + 10 Allergen Pack for AUD$345 (a saving of AUD$100 over the RRP of AUD$445).

This test combines the ImuPro Prescreen test with a test panel of 10 suspected allergens in order to test for BOTH food allergies and food intolerances and provide you with a basis for further pinpointing the exact problem so you can arrive at a solution as quickly as possible. Please contact us to discuss your situation and whether this testing option may be right for you.