London Allergy and Immunology Centre

Online IgE Allergy Blood Tests UK

Order selected IgE allergy blood tests online for foods, pollens, house dust mites, pets and moulds, with convenient home sample collection and London laboratory analysis.

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IgE allergy blood testing from home

Our online allergy testing service allows adults across the UK to order selected IgE allergy blood tests without attending the clinic for the initial sample collection. A sample collection kit is sent to your home address, and the blood sample is returned to our London laboratory for analysis.

This service is suitable when you have a suspected allergy trigger and would like targeted testing for selected allergens, rather than a broad allergy screening panel.

1. Choose your test

Select the allergen or allergens you need from our online laboratory test menu.

2. Collect your sample

Use the home finger-prick kit or ask a healthcare professional to collect the sample.

3. Receive results

Your sample is analysed by the laboratory and your result is sent securely.

What is an IgE allergy blood test?

An IgE allergy blood test measures specific IgE antibodies to a selected allergen. IgE antibodies are part of the immune response involved in many immediate-type allergies, including some food allergies, hay fever, house dust mite allergy, pet allergy and mould allergy.

The test can support allergy diagnosis when the result matches your symptoms and clinical history. A positive result means sensitisation to that allergen, but it does not always prove that the allergen is causing symptoms. A negative result makes IgE-mediated allergy less likely, but does not always exclude every type of allergy or intolerance.

Important clinical note

Please do not remove foods from your diet, stop medication, or reintroduce a food that previously caused symptoms based only on a blood test result. Allergy results should be interpreted together with your symptoms by a GP, allergy consultant or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

Which allergens can be tested?

Individual IgE blood tests are available for many common allergy triggers. Depending on the selected test, up to three allergens may be tested from one sample collection kit.

Food allergy tests

Selected foods such as peanut, tree nuts, milk, egg, wheat, fish, shellfish, fruits and vegetables.

Airborne allergens

Grass pollen, tree pollen, weed pollen, house dust mite, animal dander and moulds.

Targeted testing

Useful when you already suspect a specific trigger and do not need a large allergy panel.

Who is online IgE allergy testing suitable for?

Adults with a suspected food allergy trigger.
Patients with hay fever symptoms who want to identify possible pollen triggers.
Patients with suspected house dust mite allergy, especially with year-round rhinitis or asthma symptoms.
Patients with suspected cat, dog or other pet allergy.
Patients with suspected mould allergy.
Patients who live outside London and need convenient access to allergy blood testing.

When should I book a consultation instead?

Online IgE testing is helpful for selected, targeted allergy questions, but it does not replace a clinical assessment. Please book an allergy consultation if you have had anaphylaxis, throat swelling, breathing difficulty, repeated unexplained reactions, severe asthma, complex eczema, suspected drug allergy, suspected venom allergy, or if you are unsure which test to choose.

A consultation is also recommended if the test is for a baby, young child, or if several foods have already been removed from the diet.

Children and babies

Finger-prick home sample collection is not usually suitable for babies and young children. If the test is for a child, blood should be collected by a trained healthcare professional. Please contact our team before ordering a child’s test online.

Food allergy or food intolerance?

IgE allergy blood tests are designed to help assess possible IgE-mediated allergy. This is different from food intolerance. Food intolerance may be related to lactose intolerance, fermentable carbohydrates, enzyme deficiency, gut sensitivity or other non-IgE mechanisms.

There is no reliable single blood screening test for all food intolerances. We do not recommend IgG or IgG4 food intolerance tests, as these results often reflect exposure to foods rather than allergy or intolerance.

How the online allergy testing process works

Order your test online: choose the relevant IgE allergy blood test from the laboratory test menu.
Receive your kit: your sample collection pack is posted to your home address.
Collect your sample: follow the finger-prick instructions carefully, or ask a healthcare professional to take the sample.
Post your sample: send the sample back to the laboratory using the prepaid envelope.
Receive your result: your result is sent to you after laboratory analysis.

Do I need to stop antihistamines?

No. IgE allergy blood testing is not affected by antihistamine tablets, so you do not usually need to stop antihistamines before the test. You also do not need to deliberately eat a suspected food trigger before testing.

Can I take the sample at home?

Most adults can collect the sample at home using a finger-prick collection kit. You will receive instructions explaining how to collect the blood sample safely and how to post it back to the laboratory.

If you are not comfortable collecting your own sample, you may take the kit or laboratory request form to a local healthcare professional. In London, sample collection may also be available through the laboratory or clinic by arrangement and may incur an additional fee.

Understanding your allergy blood test result

Your result may be reported as negative, low positive, moderate positive or strongly positive depending on the laboratory scale used. However, the number alone does not diagnose allergy. The result needs to be interpreted in relation to your symptoms, timing of reactions, the amount of allergen exposure, and any other medical conditions such as asthma or eczema.

If your result is positive but you have never reacted to that allergen, it may represent sensitisation without clinical allergy. If your result is negative but your history is strongly suggestive of allergy, further assessment may still be needed.

Why choose our online allergy testing service?

Targeted IgE allergy blood tests for selected suspected triggers.
Convenient home sample collection for adults across the UK.
Laboratory-based blood testing rather than unvalidated intolerance screening.
Suitable for patients taking antihistamines.
Option to book a specialist allergy consultation if your result needs clinical interpretation.

Frequently asked questions

Can I order the test from anywhere in the UK?

Yes. Adults can order online allergy blood tests from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, provided the sample can be returned correctly to the laboratory.

How many allergens can I test?

This depends on the selected test. For many individual IgE allergy blood tests, up to three allergens may be tested from one sample collection kit.

Is this the same as an ALEX allergy test?

No. The above tests are selected individual IgE allergy blood tests. ALEX is a larger multiplex allergy panel and is usually more suitable when broader component-based allergy profiling is needed and can be ordered on the page below.

Can the test diagnose food intolerance?

No. IgE allergy blood testing does not diagnose food intolerance, lactose intolerance, coeliac disease or irritable bowel syndrome. It is designed to assess possible IgE-mediated allergy.

Should I stop eating the food before testing?

Do not deliberately eat a food that has previously caused symptoms. If you are already avoiding a food because of a suspected allergy, discuss this with your GP or allergy specialist before making any changes.

Order your IgE allergy blood test online

Choose selected allergens, receive a home sample collection kit, and return your sample to the laboratory for IgE allergy blood testing.

View allergy blood tests
Book allergy consultation

Medical note

This information is provided for general guidance and does not replace medical advice. Allergy blood test results should be interpreted in the context of symptoms and clinical history. If you have had a severe reaction, breathing symptoms, throat swelling or anaphylaxis, please seek urgent medical advice and arrange specialist allergy assessment.

Online Allergy Test (up to 3 per kit)

Multiplex Alex Online allergy testing

It takes about 1 minute to order a test in this section. Once you have paid a fee via our secure Worldpay system, your testing kit will be sent out to your home address.

With our ALEX 3 Allergy Test, (method formally used was known as RAST) one blood test can screen for sensitisation to as many as 300 components food and aero-allergens (the list is predetermined and can not be changed).

Where Can I Get Tested for Allergies in the UK?

We offer convenient at home allergy testing for patients across the UK in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland; simply complete the online questionnaire, make your payment and a kit will be sent to your home.

This programme allows you to get the same comprehensive allergy testing wherever you live in the UK, in a remote village in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland or if you live in central London.

After you send the blood sample collected with home based allergy testing kit back our accredited London’s Laboratory, our London-based specialist allergy consultants go thorough your test results and will provide them to you and your GP (if you opted for this in the questionnaire) .

If you wish, you can always book a face to face or video appointment with our specialists in London discuss your results and receive treatment.

Where Do I Start When Testing For Allergies?

If you are in London and want to be seen by an allergy consultant, or if you want your child or baby to be seen by our allergy consultant, please book an appointment on-line or call 020 314 33442.

If you live in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland or live in England but far away from London, or for any reason cannot attend a face-to face appointment at our Harley Street clinic, please start by filling in our ALEX allergy form, make secure online payment for your test, you will receive all needed instructions by e-mail.

You will then receive a sample collection pack from the lab (as shown in the video) or, if you are unable to take a sample yourself of the test is for a child attend our lab with the kit for collection in London ?Oxford Circus or Bond Street Tube stations?, you can attend the lab with the printed request form for sample collection (the request form will be sent after your payment).

Finger prick (self-) collection is not suitable for small children and babies. In these cases, the sample needs to be taken by a trained healthcare professional (our lab can provide the necessary materials on request if you are located at a distance from London), or in London you can attend the lab ?Oxford Circus or Bond Street Tube stations? with our form where the sample will be collected Monday to Friday, 7am-7pm and Saturday 7am-1pm.

Your personal allergy test result will be ready in several days after you send the sample back to the laboratory.

If you have any further questions or would like a consultation, treatment, or if any problems are identified throughout the testing process, please book you an appointment with one of our allergy specialists in London.

How Do I collect a Sample at Home with Home Allergy Test Kit?

If you need testing for allergies and you live anywhere in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you can collect your blood sample from a finger prick and send it to our London based accredited laboratory.

The following the instruction video, that illustrates how to collect a sample from a finger prick for blood allergy test:

Can The Test Identify Food Allergies?

Yes.

At the London Allergy and Immunology Centre on Harley Street, we offer food allergy testing, one of the most common concerns for those suffering from symptoms of allergy or intolerance.

We also offer the opportunity for you to take a home allergy test (sample collection at home) wherever you live in the UK.

If you would like to request a consultation, please use the electronic appointment system.

Many people in the UK suffer from symptoms related to food allergy or intolerance. Some of the most common questions that our patients ask us after they’ve had a severe reaction and suspect that food was the cause are:

Was it an allergic reaction to food?
Which particular food was it?
Is it going to happen again?
What food do I need to avoid?

We can give dietary advice after doing one or more of the following tests:

The ALEX 3 blood test
Skin prick test with commercially available food extracts
Prick-to-prick test with fresh or cooked food
Challenge test with food in a safe hospital environment
Blood test Specific IgE to food

Once the cause of your allergy has been identified, we will advise you on dietary requirements and further treatment, if required.

Do I Have A Food Allergy or Food Intolerance?

When a patient experiences mild or delayed symptoms it can be difficult to identify the cause. In many cases an allergy is the cause and the tests outlined above can confirm this. The primary goal is to exclude the possibility of a life-threatening allergic reaction and help you manage your allergies going forward.

If your results from a food allergy test are negative, our doctors will work closely with you, using dietary methods (food and symptom diaries followed by complex bio-chemical tests) to see whether you have a condition known as ‘intolerance’.

Food intolerance is usually caused by an absence or low levels of enzymes that break down specific sugars in food.

An allergy is not the same as an intolerance and it is important to seek advice from a healthcare professional to determine exactly what your symptoms are caused by.

We will take all your symptoms seriously, diagnose using a clinically-proven testing method and, where possible, treat the cause
We will try our best to get to the bottom of your symptoms
We will explain everything to you, with no hidden charges
We use only traditional, clinically-proven medical and scientific approaches (with no ‘magic’ supplements)

Intolerance can be diagnosed by the exclusion of foods one by one, with further reintroduction in a blinded manner, confirming the absence or return of the symptoms.

Warning!!!

Do not be fooled by the widely available online, cheap tests for food intolerance.

Immunoglobulin G class antibodies to food are formed in all healthy people as a part of the digestion process. There is no specific screening test for intolerance at present. If you would like to do an at home allergy test, we offer that service.

Have an allergy test using unique finger prick sample collection technology from the comfort of your own home in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland & England

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ALEX Allergy Test

Allergy Testing Components (a detailed view)

Allergen Components have a wide variety of uses – from the diagnosis and management of allergic patients to the selection of patients suitable for Specific Immunotherapy.

Use of Component Resolved Diagnostics (CRD) has fast become an interesting and probably essential part of allergy diagnostics.

Allergens, such as a species of pollen, a mite or a food are composed of a number of allergenic molecules that may cause sensitisation.

A much more precise and detailed picture of the patient’s sensitisation pattern can be obtained by measuring IgE to the components.

This gives more information for the management of an allergen-sensitised individual indicating whether, for example, symptoms are likely to be severe and ultimately leads to better patient care.

All tests are charged individually .

Allergen components – additional tests available in the London Allergy and Immunology Centre (LAIC)
The term Allergen component is used for products based on molecular allergens purified from either their natural source (native) or biotechnologically produced as recombinant proteins.

By using tests for single allergenic components as a complement to more traditional IgE antibody tests, further clinically relevant information can be gained.

ALEX 3 Allergen components are useful tools when investigating and explaining allergic reactions more in detail and to determine if they are caused by cross-reacting IgE antibodies to different allergens.

What are allergen components?

ENZYMES OCCUPATIONAL COMPONENTS

Alkalase Bacillus spp. k205
nAna c 2 Bromelain, Pineapple Ananas comosus k202
nAsp o 21 alpha-amylase Aspergillus oryzae k87
nCar p 1 Papain, Papaya Carica papaya k201
nGal d 4 Lysozyme, Egg Gallus spp. k208
Maxatase Bacillus licheniformis k204
Savinase Bacillus spp. k206
nSus s Pepsin, Swine Sus scrofa k213

FOOD COMPONENTS

rAct d 8 PR-10, Kiwi Actinidia deliciosa f430
rAna o 3 Cashew nut Anacardium occidentale f443
rApi g 1.01 PR-10, Celery Apium graveolens f417
rAra h 1 Peanut Arachis hypogaea f422
rAra h 2 Peanut Arachis hypogaea f423
rAra h 3 Peanut Arachis hypogaea f424
rAra h 8 PR-10, Peanut Arachis hypogaea f352
rAra h 9 LTP, Peanut Arachis hypogaea f427
rBer e 1 Brazil nut Bertholletia excelsa f354
nBos d 4 alpha-lactalbumin, Milk Bos spp. f76
nBos d 5 beta-lactoglobulin, Milk Bos spp. f77
nBos d 8 Casein, Milk Bos spp. f78
nBos d Lactoferrin, Milk Bos spp. f334
rCor a 1 PR-10, Hazel nut Corylus avellana f428
rCor a 8 LTP, Hazel nut Corylus avellana f425
nCor a 9, Hazel nut Corylus avellana f440
rCor a 14, Hazel nut Corylus avellana f439
rCyp c 1 Carp Cyprinus carpio f355
rGad c 1 Cod Gadus morhua f426
nGal d 1 Ovomucoid, Egg Gallus spp. f233
nGal d 2 Ovalbumin, Egg Gallus spp. f232
nGal d 3 Conalbumin, Egg Gallus spp. f323
rGly m 4 PR-10, Soy Glycine max f353
nGly m 5 beta-conglycinin, Soy Glycine max f431
nGly m 6 Glycinin Glycine max f432
rJug r 1 Walnut Juglans regia f441
rJug r 3 LTP, Walnut Juglans regia f442
rMal d 1 PR-10, Apple Malus domestica f434
rMal d 3 LTP, Apple Malus domestica f435
rPen a 1 Tropomyosin, Shrimp Penaeus aztecus f351
rPru p 1 PR-10, Peach Prunus persica f419 10
rPru p 3 LTP, Peach Prunus persica f420 10
rPru p 4 Profilin, Peach Prunus persica f421
rTri a 14 LTP, Wheat Triticum aestivum f433
rTri a 19 Omega-5 Gliadin, Wheat Triticum spp. f416
Gliadin f98
MUXF3 CCD, Bromelain o214

ALTERNARIA COMPONENTS

Alternaria alternata – m6
rAlt a1 – m229

ASPERGILLUS COMPONENTS

Asperillusfumigatus – m3
rAsp f 1 – m218
rAsp f 2 – m219
rAsp f 3 – m220
rAsp f 4 – m221
rAsp f 6 – m222

BIRCH COMPONENTS

Betula verrucosa (Silver Birch) – t3
rBet v 1 (PR-10) – t215
rBet v 2 (Profilin) t216
rBet v 4 (Ca binding protein) t220
rBet v 6 – t225

BRAZIL COMPONENTS

Brazil Nut – f18
rBer e 1 (Storage protein 2S albumin) – f354

CAT COMPONENTS

Cat dander – e1
rFel d 1 (Uteroglobulin) – e94
nFel d 2 (Serum Albumin) – e220

CELERY COMPONENTS

Celery – f85
rApi g 1.01 (PR-10) f417

COW’S MILK COMPONENTS

Cow’s milk allergen – f2
nBos d 4 (a-lactalbumin) – f76
nBos d 5 (b-lactoglobulin) – f77
nBos d 6 (BSA cow) – e204
nBos d 8 (Casein) – f78
nBos d lactoferrin (Lactoferrin) – f334

DOG COMPONENTS

Dog dander – e5
rCan f 1 (Lipocalin) – e101
rCan f 2 (Lipocalin) – e102
nCan f 3 (Serum Albumin) – e221

EGG COMPONENTS

egg white (Gallus domesticus)- f1
egg yolk – f75
nGal d 1 (Ovomucoid) – f233
nGal d 2 (Ovalbumin) – f232
nGal d 3 (Conalbumin) – f323
nGal d 4 (Lysozyme)- k208

FISH COMPONENTS

Cod – f3
Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
rCyp c 1 (Parvalbumin)- f355
Cod (Gadus morhua)
rGad c 1 (Parvalbumin) – f426

HAZELNUT COMPONENTS

Hazel Nut (Corylus avellana) – f17
rCor a 1 (PR-10) – f428
rCor a 8 (LTP) – f425

HOUSE DUST MITE COMPONENTS

House Dust Mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) – d1
nDer p 1 – d202
rDer p 2 – d203
rDer p 10 (Tropomyosin) – d205

KIWI COMPONENTS

Kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) – f84
rAct d 8 (PR10) – f430

LATEX COMPONENTS

Latex (Hevea) k82
rHev b 1 – k215
rHev b 3 – k217
rHev b 5 – k218
rHev b 6.01 – k219
rHev b 6.02 – k220
rHev b 8 (Profilin) – k221
rHev b 9 – k222
rHev b 11 – k224

OLIVE COMPONENTS

Olive (Olea europaea)- t9
nOle e 1 – t224

PEACH COMPONENTS

>Peach (Prunus persica) – f95
rPru p 1 (PR-10) – f419
rPru p 3 (LTP) – f420
rPru p 4 (Profilin) – f421

PEANUT COMPONENTS

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) – f13
rAra h 1 (7S globulins) – f422
rAra h 2 (2S albumins) – f423
rAra h 3 (11S globulin) – f424
rAra h 8 (PR-10) – f352
rAra h 9 (LTP) – f427

SHRIMP COMPONENTS

Shrimp (Penaeus aztecus) – k24
rPen a 1 (Tropomysin) – f351

SOYBEAN COMPONENTS

Soybean (Glycin max) – f14
rGly m 4 (PR-10) – f353
nGly m 5 (beta-conglycinin) – f431
nGLy m 6 (glycinin) – f432

TIMOTHY GRASS COMPONENTS

rPhl p 1 (Grass Group 1) – g205
rPhl p 2 (Grass Group 2) – g206
nPhl p 4 (Grass Group 5) – g208
rPhl p 5b – g215
rPhl p 6 (Ca Binding Protein) – g209
rPhl p 7 – g210
rPhl p 11 (Profilin) – g211
rPhl p 12 – g212

VENOM COMPONENTS

rApi m 1 (Phospholipase A2, Honey Bee) – I208
rPol d 5 (European Paper Wasp) – i210
rVes v 5 (Common wasp) – i209
rVes v 1 (Phospholipase A1, Common Wasp) – i211

Proteins found in insect venoms. Specific markers particularly important when considering venom immunisation.

WALL PELLITORY COMPONENTS

Wall pellitory (Parietaria judaica)- w21
rPar j 2 (LTP) – w211

WHEAT COMPONENTS

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) – f4
rTri a 19 Omega-5 Gliadin – f416

PR-10 PROTEINS

rBet v 1 – t215
rCor a 1 – f428
rPru p 1 – f419
rGly m 4 – f353
rAra h 8 – f352
rApi g 1.01 – f417
rAct d 8 – f430

A heat labile protein, cooked foods are often tolerated. Often associated with local symptoms such as Oral AllergySyndrome (OAS). Often associated with allergic reactions to fruit and Vegetables in Northern Europe.

LIPID TRANSFER PROTEINS

rPru p 3 – f420
rCor a 8 – f425
rAra h 9 – f427
rPar j 2 – w211

A stable protein to heat and digestion causing reactions to cooked foods. Often associated with systemic and more severe reactions in addition to OAS. Often associated with allergic reactions to fruit and vegetatables in Southern Europe.

PROFILINS

rBet v 2 – t216
rPru p 4 – f421
rPhl p 12 – g212
rHev b 8 – k221

Seldom associated with clinical symptoms but may cause demonstrable or even severe reactions in a small minority of cases.

POLCALCINS

rBet v 4 – t220
rPhl p 7 – g210

Ca binding protein

SEED STORAGE PROTEINS

rAra h 2 (2S albumins) – f423
rBer e 1 (2S albumins) – f354
nGly m 5 (beta-glycinin) – f431
nGly m 6 (glycinin) – f432
rAra h 1 (7S globulins) – f422
rAra h 3 (11S globulin) – f424
rTri a 19 (Omega-5 Gliadin) – f416

Protein found in seeds serving as source material during growth of new plant. Often stable and heat resistant proteins causing reactions also in cooked foods.

GLYCAN DETERMINANTS

MUXF3 CCD (Bromelin) -o214

A marker for sensitisation to cross reactive-reactivity between species. Seldom associated with clinical symptoms but may cause demonstrable or even severe reactions in a small minority of patients.

LIPOCALINS

rCan f 1 – e101
rCan f 2 – e102

Very stable proteins. Allergen components displaying limited cross-reactivity between species.

PARVALBUMINS

rCyp c 1 (Carp) – f355
rGad c 1 (Cod) – f426

A major allergen in fish. A marker for cross-reactivity among different species of fish and amphibians. A protein stable to heat and digestion causing reactions to cooked foods.

SERUM ALBUMINS

nBos d 6 (Serum Albumin cow) – e204
nFel d 2 (Serum Albumin cat) – e220
nCan f 3 (Serum Albumin dog) – e221
nSus s (Serum Albumin pig) – e222

A common protein present in different biological fluids and solids. Cross-reactions between albumins from different animal species are well known for example between cat, dog, cow and pork.

TROPOMYOSINS

rPen a 1 – f351
rDer p 10 – d205
An actin-binding protein in muscle fibres. A marker for cross-reactivity between crustaceans, mites and cockroach.