Allergy and intolerance are often confused or thought of as similar conditions when in reality they are very different. Allergy is an immediate, sometimes dangerous or life-threatening reaction to a food or drink. This is often present from a young age and always involves the antibody type IgE. Intolerance can be developed later in life and takes longer for symptoms to present themselves, making it more difficult to pinpoint the culprit food(s). Testing can be beneficial to discover the trigger foods and drinks quicker. With a suspected food allergy, always seek professional medical help.