The Food Allergen Mix 10 IgE Antibody Test is a blood test that checks for IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies to beef, chicken meat, egg yolk, pork, and turkey. When you have a food allergy, your immune system mistakenly treats these foods as harmful and produces IgE antibodies against them. A healthcare professional draws a small blood sample from a vein in your arm, and the sample is analyzed in a laboratory using a method called multidisk to detect whether IgE antibodies to each of the five foods are present or absent. Results are reported as positive or negative for each allergen: a positive result suggests sensitization to that food, while a negative result suggests no allergy was detected. Fasting is not required, and unlike skin prick tests, this blood test is generally not affected by antihistamines. The test itself does not trigger an allergic reaction because it measures antibodies in your blood rather than exposing you to the foods directly. Your doctor will interpret your results together with your symptoms and medical history and, if a food allergy is confirmed, may recommend avoiding that food, recognizing reaction symptoms, carrying an epinephrine auto-injector, or seeing an allergist for further evaluation.
This blood test detects IgE antibodies against beef, chicken, egg yolk, pork, and turkey in your blood, helping your healthcare provider determine whether you may have an allergy to any of these five foods.
{"This test checks for IgE antibodies to 5 common food allergens (beef, chicken, egg yolk, pork, turkey)","A positive result indicates a potential food allergy to the specific foods tested","The test uses a blood sample and does not require fasting","Results help your doctor diagnose food allergies and develop an appropriate management plan","This is a qualitative test that tells if antibodies are present or absent"}
Key facts at a glance
- LOINC
- 15241-3
- Short code
- FAM10-IgE
- Synonyms
- Food Allerg Mix10 IgE Ql
- Category
- cardiac
- Sample
- serum
- Container
- Serum separator tube (SST) or plain red top tube
- Units
- N/A
- Ref low
- 0
- Ref high
- 0.35
- Fasting
- false
- Population
- adult
- Sex
- all
- Age range
- 0–120 years
- Method
- multidisk
- CPT
- 86003
- SNOMED
- 414285001
- Specimen volume
- 1.0-2.0 mL of serum
- Stability
- Room temperature: 24 hours; Refrigerated (2-8°C): 7 days; Frozen (-20°C): 30 days
- Hemolysis max
- 50
- Lipemia max
- 300
- Icterus max
- 20
- TAT
- 24–72 hours
- Order
- routine
What is this test?
The Food Allergen Mix 10 IgE Antibody Test is a blood test that detects the presence of IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies specific to beef, chicken meat, egg yolk, pork, and turkey. IgE antibodies are produced by the immune system in people with food allergies. When you have a food allergy, your body mistakenly identifies certain foods as harmful and produces IgE antibodies against them. This test helps your healthcare provider determine if you have an allergy to any of these five foods.
How is the test performed?
A healthcare professional will draw a small blood sample from a vein in your arm. The blood is collected in a tube and sent to a laboratory for analysis. The test uses a method called multidisk to detect the presence or absence of IgE antibodies to each of the five food allergens. You do not need to fast before this test, and it can be performed at any time of day.
What do the results mean?
The test results are reported as either 'positive' (present) or 'negative' (not present) for each food allergen tested. A positive result means that IgE antibodies to that specific food were detected in your blood, which suggests you may have an allergy to that food. A negative result means no IgE antibodies were detected, suggesting you are not allergic to that particular food. However, this test is just one tool used to diagnose food allergies—your doctor will consider your symptoms, medical history, and possibly other tests to make a definitive diagnosis.
Are there any risks?
The risks associated with this blood test are minimal and include slight pain or bruising at the needle site, bleeding, or in rare cases, infection. These are common risks with any blood draw. The test itself does not trigger an allergic reaction because it only measures antibodies in the blood, rather than exposing you to the allergen directly.
Reference range
Negative: < 0.35 kU/L (Class 0); Equivocal: 0.35-0.69 kU/L (Class 1); Positive: >= 0.70 kU/L (Class 2-6)N/A
No special preparation required. Patient may continue antihistamine medications unless otherwise instructed by physician. Avoid immunosuppressive therapy before testing if possible.
Clinical interpretation
How abnormal results are interpreted and what conditions they suggest.
This test is clinically significant for diagnosing Type I (immediate) food hypersensitivity reactions. Positive IgE results to specific foods indicate that the patient may experience allergic reactions upon consuming those foods. Common symptoms of food allergy include hives, itching, swelling, digestive problems, and in severe cases, anaphylaxis. The results help healthcare providers identify trigger foods so patients can avoid them and receive appropriate treatment. This information is crucial for creating an allergy management plan, prescribing emergency medications like epinephrine auto-injectors, and determining whether food challenge tests are needed for definitive diagnosis.
It is important to note that a positive IgE test alone does not always confirm clinical allergy. Some people have positive IgE results but do not experience symptoms when eating the food (sensitization without clinical allergy). Therefore, results should always be interpreted in conjunction with clinical history and physical examination by an allergist or immunologist.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to fast before this test?
How long does it take to get results?
What happens if I'm positive for one or more foods?
Can this test tell me how severe my allergy is?
Do I need to stop taking antihistamines before this test?
Sources
- 1
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- 3
Click any link to access the full source. PubMed Central (PMC) links provide free full-text access.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have about a medical condition, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Medically reviewed by WellAlly Editorial Team Last reviewed August 10, 2026. · Read our editorial policy