When an allergy to a single food is suspected, the allergist may recommend eliminating the food for a time. These tests are conducted in the allergist s office, or at times, in the hospital under close observation. Usually, the suspected food or a neutral food, called a placebo, is fed to the patient in colorless capsules, or in a non-allergenic slush or pudding. Neither the patient nor the doctor knows whether the suspected food or the placebo is being eaten. When properly performed, these challenges are very reliable in establishing a concrete cause and effect relationship between a food and an allergy symptom.
Treatment Avoid the food.
The best way to treat food allergy is to avoid the specific foods that trigger the allergy. Ask about ingredients. Read food labels. It is important for food-allergic people to read food labels carefully and to become familiar with technical or scientific names for foods. Similarly, egg white is frequently listed as albumin.