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The most powerful and potentially life-changing diagnostic tool in the food allergy community is also the least known: the allergen component test. We partnered with Allergy Insider, an education platform from Thermo Fisher Scientific who conducts the majority of allergy blood testing in the US and is considered the gold standard, to provide the details you need to know so you can understand if component testing is right for you. Spoiler alert: if you manage allergies to peanut, most tree nuts, milk, egg, or soy, we think the answer is a resounding YES!

You are probably familiar with specific IgE (sIgE) tests, the standard blood test that can help you understand if you have a food allergy, which foods you are allergic to, and the likelihood of an allergic reaction (see our guide to IgE Testing).

Less familiar to most people is the allergen component test, which takes a deeper dive into the proteins (components) of each food allergen and can tell you precisely which proteins you are sensitized (allergic) to. Some proteins are associated with a mild reaction or no reaction, while others are associated with anaphylactic reactions.

Finding out which protein(s) your body is responding to can alter how you approach your food allergies, including knowing if you may be ready for an oral food challenge. Determining which proteins you are allergic to can be life-changing.

Why are components so important?

When you have a food allergy, your immune system is negatively responding to the protein in the food. The common view is that if you are allergic to, say, peanuts, then that’s the end of the story. However, this approach is not one size fits all, as each food is made of multiple proteins, or components, and each protein (component) is responsible for a different type of allergic reaction, ranging in severity from mild to anaphylactic.

Why should I get component testing?

Finding out which proteins you’re allergic to can influence how you manage your allergies and determine whether you may be a good candidate for an oral food challenge. Of people who have been diagnosed with a peanut allergy (have a peanut sensitization), 78% are not at risk for a severe allergic reaction. Not everyone is allergic to every protein that is found in a peanut; for example, you can be allergic to one, all, or any amount in between.

Component testing can be done for peanut, certain tree nut (cashew, walnut, brazil nut and hazelnut), milk, egg, and soy allergies. Take our quiz to see if component testing is right for you!

Landon Robinson's story is proof that component testing can change lives. After his football scholarship from a military service academy was rescinded due to his peanut allergy, Landon got an allergen component blood test. That test showed he was only sensitized to the proteins in peanuts that cross-react with birch tree pollen, meaning he actually didn’t have a peanut allergy! Landon's scholarship was re-offered and he is now a college football player.

Click the link below to hear Landon’s full story and follow @allergyinsider on Instagram for more allergy testing education!

You should always take precautions and use appropriate judgment to protect yourself and others under your care with regard to food allergies. Spokin’s content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.

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