Food Allergy Vs Intolerance

Allergy testing

Written by the Veritas Pharmacy clinical team · 113 Chester Road, Sunderland · GPhC Registered 9012617

Food allergy and food intolerance often get used as if they mean the same thing, but they involve different parts of the body, and different tests. This guide explains the difference, and helps you work out which of our allergy panels actually matches what you want to find out.

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Allergy vs intolerance: what is the difference? Comparing our allergy panels Choosing the right panel What happens at your appointment? Understanding your results How Veritas Pharmacy can help

“I think I might be intolerant to something, but I do not know which test to ask for.”

A common starting point, and a fair one, since the terminology genuinely is confusing. The right test depends on what is actually happening in your body when you react, which this guide will help you work out.

Veritas Clinical Insight

A true food allergy involves your immune system reacting to a specific protein, sometimes quickly and severely. A food intolerance is a different process, usually involving digestion rather than immunity, and tends to build up gradually rather than triggering a sudden reaction. Our allergy panels are designed to test for immune system reactions, which is an important distinction when choosing the right one.

General guidance on food allergy and intolerance testing.

Allergy vs intolerance: what is the difference?

A food allergy happens when your immune system mistakenly treats a food protein as a threat, producing an antibody response. Reactions can range from mild to severe, and can happen quickly. A food intolerance does not involve the immune system in the same way, it is usually related to how your body digests a particular food, and tends to cause gradual digestive discomfort rather than an immediate reaction.

Myth vs Fact

Myth:

Dairy allergy and lactose intolerance are the same thing.

Fact:

A dairy allergy is an immune reaction to milk protein, and is what our Dairy IgE Allergy Panel tests for. Lactose intolerance is a different process entirely, related to digesting milk sugar, and is not detected by this type of blood test.

Not sure which panel is right for you?
A short conversation with our pharmacist can help you choose, before you book.

Book an allergy panel

Comparing our allergy panels

We offer five different allergy panels, each suited to a different situation.

5 x Single Individual Allergens, £199

Choose any five specific allergens you want to check, one at a time.

Dairy IgE Allergy Panel, £219

Focused specifically on milk protein allergy, not lactose intolerance.

Allergy Complete, 295 allergens, £329

The broadest single panel, covering hundreds of possible allergens at once.

Gluten Allergy Profile, £499

Covers gluten allergy alongside coeliac disease antibody and genetic markers.

Extended Allergy Panel, £749

A detailed panel covering common food, pet, and environmental allergen groups.

A £35 phlebotomy fee applies per visit, in addition to the panel price shown.

Choosing the right panel

Do you want to check one or two specific foods, or screen broadly across many possible triggers?

Specific concern

The Single Individual Allergens, Dairy IgE, or Gluten Allergy Profile panels let you focus on a particular food.

Broad screening

Allergy Complete or the Extended Allergy Panel cover a wide range of possible allergens in one test.

Did You Know?

All of these panels are blood tests, using the same simple sample as any other blood test. None of them require you to stop eating the food beforehand, unlike some other types of allergy investigation.

What happens at your appointment?

A trained clinician takes a small blood sample, in the same gentle way as any other blood test. Your sample is then sent for laboratory analysis, and turnaround times vary depending on which panel you choose, your clinician will confirm this when you book.

Understanding your results

Your results show which allergens, if any, triggered a measurable immune response. Your clinician will explain what your results mean, and can advise on sensible next steps, such as whether a food and symptom diary or further investigation would be helpful alongside your result.

Questions We Hear Every Week

Can these tests detect food intolerance?

These panels test for immune system allergy reactions, not food intolerance. If you suspect an intolerance rather than an allergy, it is worth mentioning this to your pharmacist, since a different approach may be more appropriate.

Do I need to avoid the food before testing?

No. Unlike some other types of allergy investigation, you do not need to stop eating the food beforehand for these blood tests.

Which panel should I choose if I am not sure?

Our pharmacist can talk through your symptoms with you before you book, to help you choose the panel most likely to be useful.

When should you seek medical advice?

Choosing and booking an allergy panel is usually a routine matter. The following is a general guide to how urgently to act.

Routine appointment

Mild, gradual symptoms after certain foods
Wanting to understand a pattern you have noticed over time

See a doctor soon

Repeated, uncomfortable reactions that are affecting your daily life
Symptoms that are gradually getting worse over time

Seek urgent medical assessment

Swelling of the face, lips, or throat after eating
Difficulty breathing, or a sudden widespread rash after eating
Any sudden, severe reaction after eating a particular food

These symptoms need emergency medical assessment through NHS 111 or an Accident and Emergency department, rather than a routine blood test appointment.

How Veritas Pharmacy can help

Our allergy panels range from £199 to £749, plus a £35 phlebotomy fee for taking your blood sample. No general practitioner referral is needed.

Single Individual Allergens

Choose up to five allergens to test.

Private pharmacist consultation

Talk through your symptoms before choosing a panel.

Key takeaways

Allergy involves your immune system, intolerance usually involves digestion, they are not the same thing.
Our five panels test for allergy, ranging from single allergens to broad screening.
None of the panels require you to avoid the food beforehand.
A sudden, severe reaction after eating needs urgent medical assessment, not a routine appointment.