Food allergy testing

[rgeczi]

I just want to let all the people know here that the number 1 hospital is now offering the service of food allergy testing.  A person I work with told my wife about her experience there.  I will go there myself, which after I will share more info, but for now, this is what I know about it.

To test for 20 different foods, is 305RMB.
To test for 40 different foods, is 500RMB.

The procedure from what I was told is for them to simply draw blood from your arm, then I guess they test the various foods using that blood sample.  A little more than 10 years ago in Canada, they did a method called "skin pricking".  So, for me, the way it's done here is a new thing.  Maybe this is the norm now, I don't know.

I will update this after I go myself.

[tim]

is it that they pay you? or you pay them?

[rgeczi]

This is a service for people who want to check if they have any food allergies to the 20 foods they test for.  I wrote that they test for 40 foods as well, but that's a mistake.  A friend told me about this, but after confirming, I found out it's only for 20 foods. 

There is another way to get tested in Hefei.  There is a private lab that I went to for other reasons, that also test food allergies for you.  The same amount, 20 foods for around 300RMB.  I am guessing that the hospitals here use that lab for their testing needs.  The lab is called Addicon.  You can look it up on the net, and find the Hefei office contact information.  At that place, there is no lineups like what the hospitals have.

[junoir]

Foodtesting,is it possible to confirm the state of the milk?Are they safe once again??

[rgeczi]

You can try, at that company.  I asked them about tests and they do so many things.  So, if you can get someone to translate for you, or you ask them yourself, then you can find out for sure.  I went there for "health tests", but like I said, I know they do many other kinds of testing as well.

Let me know if you choose to go that route.  I have something I want to get tested, which is regarding food and food safety as well.

[parneeth]

The type of allergic tests you may be given depend on your symptoms, but generally it would include:

-The skin prick test. This is a very simple and painless test where you can get results within half an hour.
-A blood test or the specific IgE test that is used to measure the antibodies that have been produced in response to the allergen that caused your reaction.
-Patch Test. This is usually carried out by a dermatologist and results could only be obtained after 3 days.
-Food challenge or the oral challenge which also happens to be the most accurate test for food allergies.