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Are food sensitivity tests worth it? Cost, reliability and what allergy societies say

Whether a test is worth it depends on why it is being ordered, which is a question for you and a clinician. What we can show is what the food sensitivity test costs, what it is backed by, and what it does not tell you (prices checked Oct 21, 2026).

What the evidence says

The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology concluded that food-specific IgG4 reflects exposure/tolerance rather than allergy or intolerance and that testing should not be performed for food-related complaints. The AAAAI/ACAAI 2014 food allergy practice parameter states that allergen-specific IgG and cytotoxicity assays are unproved and should not be used to evaluate food allergy, and that food-specific IgG/IgG4 is not recommended for diagnosing non-IgE-mediated food disorders. This rating applies to IgG panels and cytotoxicity assays (e.g. ALCAT); we have not reviewed MRT separately.

What guidelines, insurers and the lab say

• EAACI task force (2008): "food-specific IgG4 does not indicate (imminent) food allergy or intolerance, but rather a physiological response of the immune system after exposition to food components", and testing "should not be performed in case of food-related complaints".
• AAAAI/ACAAI practice parameter (2014): "Unproved tests, including allergen-specific IgG measurement, cytotoxicity assays, applied kinesiology, provocation neutralization, and hair analysis, should not be used for the evaluation of food allergy."
• Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2012): "The CSACI strongly discourages the practice of food-specific IgG testing for the purposes of identifying or predicting adverse reactions to food."
• One insurer's policy (Aetna CPB 0038): lists the ALCAT test, allergen-specific IgG testing and the mediator release test (MRT) as "experimental, investigational, or unproven".

What it does not tell you

• The CSACI says "positive test results for food-specific IgG are to be expected in normal, healthy adults and children", and warns that a person with a true IgE-mediated food allergy "may very well not have elevated levels of specific IgG to their particular allergen".
• These panels use different methods (IgG, ALCAT, MRT); the statements above are about IgG testing. For MRT, Aetna's policy says there are no published studies showing improved outcomes; that is one insurer's view, not a guideline.
• One randomised trial in irritable bowel syndrome (Atkinson 2004) reported a 10% greater reduction in symptom score with an IgG-based elimination diet than a sham diet; its authors wrote that the approach "is worthy of further biomedical research".

This page does not say whether anyone should take the test. Insurance and HSA/FSA rules are covered in insurance and HSA for lab tests.

Compare prices

• Food Sensitivity Tests: 10 prices, $169–$520

Sources

1. Stapel SO, et al. Testing for IgG4 against foods is not recommended as a diagnostic tool: EAACI Task Force Report. Allergy. 2008;63(7):793-796. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18489614/
2. Sampson HA, et al. Food allergy: A practice parameter update—2014 (Summary Statements 34 and 38). J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2014. https://www.aaaai.org/Aaaai/media/MediaLibrary/PDF%20Documents/Practice%20and%20Parameters/Food-Allergy-A-Practice-Parameter-Update-2014.pdf
3. Carr S, et al. CSACI position statement on the testing of food-specific IgG. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2012;8:12. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3443017/
4. Aetna. Clinical Policy Bulletin 0038: Allergy and Hypersensitivity. https://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/1_99/0038.html
5. Atkinson W, Sheldon TA, Shaath N, Whorwell PJ. Food elimination based on IgG antibodies in irritable bowel syndrome: a randomised controlled trial. Gut. 2004;53(10):1459-1464. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15361495/

Evidence summaries are those on our test pages; guideline quotes checked 2026-10-21. Prices update when we re-check sellers.

Informational only, not medical advice. See about & disclaimer.