The majority of IgE-mediated reactions to wheat involve the albumin and globulin fractions. Gliadin and gluten may also induce IgE-mediated reactions rarely. There are no accurate figures for prevalence of wheat allergy.
Clinical experience suggests that wheat allergy is relatively uncommon.
The diagnosis may be easy if a person always has the same reaction after eating wheat-containing food or eats wheat infrequently. But more often the diagnosis is difficult because wheat is a staple food. Elimination-challenge testing remains the most reliable method of diagnosis. Avoidance of wheat and wheat-containing foods is the first step in the treatment of wheat allergy. Children on wheat-restricted diets are severely limited in their selection of foods.