Oral Food Challenge Testing Q&A
To diagnose true food allergies by carefully administering a suspected allergen under medical supervision, Oral Food Challenge (OFC) monitors both immediate and delayed reactions, providing precise results. These tests help us confirm or rule out food allergies, preventing unnecessary dietary restrictions while ensuring optimal nutritional health and quality of life for our patients. Dr. Oral Alpan, MD, is committed to delivering accurate diagnoses and effective allergy management strategies tailored to your individual needs. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We have convenient locations to serve you in McLean VA, Alexandria VA, Arlington VA, Bethesda MD, Gaithersburg MD, and Rockville MD.




Table of Contents:
What is an oral food challenge, and how is it performed?
How is an oral food challenge different from other allergy tests like skin tests or blood tests?
What types of food allergies can be tested through an oral food challenge?
How long does an oral food challenge typically take?
An Oral Food Challenge is a specialized test that involves the controlled ingestion of a specific food to monitor for allergic reactions. This procedure is performed in our state-of-the-art facility under the expert supervision of our highly trained allergists and healthcare professionals who specialize in managing allergic reactions.
Our OFC procedure follows a meticulous and patient-centered approach:
• Comprehensive Assessment: Each patient undergoes an in-depth evaluation to ensure they are suitable for the challenge. This includes reviewing their medical history and past allergy test results, such as skin prick tests or specific IgE blood tests, and Basophil Activation Tests (BAT). Basophil Activation tests are a food challenge in a test tube, to evaluate how reactive the immune cells are. This enabled the healthcare provider to assess risk of reaction before an oral food challenge.
• Preparation Guidelines: To ensure accurate results, patients are advised to avoid certain allergy medications and follow fasting protocols before the test.
• Safe and Controlled Environment: Conducted in our clinic, the OFC provides immediate access to emergency treatment, ensuring patient safety throughout the procedure.
• Step-by-Step Administration: We begin with a minimal dose of the suspected allergenic food, incrementally increasing it at regular intervals, while closely monitoring the patient for any reactions.
• Continuous Monitoring: Our healthcare team remains vigilant throughout the challenge, prepared to manage any allergic reactions, from mild symptoms to severe cases requiring interventions like antihistamines or epinephrine.
• Accurate Interpretation: Successful completion without adverse reactions indicates the food is safe for consumption, whereas any allergic response confirms the allergy, guiding our personalized management plan.
Oral Food Challenge (OFC) is a diagnostic tool that stands out for its precision and reliability in discerning true allergic reactions, complementing other tests such as skin prick tests and blood tests.
The OFC involves the careful and supervised consumption of a suspected allergen, allowing our specialists to observe immediate and delayed reactions. This method surpasses the predictive nature of skin, IgE, and blood tests, which can often result in false positives by merely indicating sensitization. Through direct exposure, we can confirm or rule out allergies with greater accuracy, providing a clearer picture of a patient’s allergic profile.
BAT challenges blood cells for reactivity and is a crucial element to safely access allergens before an OFC. Who benefits from a Basophil Activation Test? Any patients:
• Avoiding food due to allergies.
• With undetermined specific IgE or equivocal history.
• Prior to an Oral Food Challenge.
• Considered for Oral Immunology.
Objective and Comprehensive Assessment
Our clinic values the importance of objective data in allergy diagnosis. During the OFC, we closely monitor the patient’s response to the allergen in a controlled environment, helping differentiate true allergies from other conditions like food intolerances or irritant reactions. This objective assessment reduces the reliance on subjective symptom reporting and enhances the precision of the diagnosis.
Determining Allergy Severity and Personalized Management
Amerimmune Clinic’s OFC not only confirms the presence of an allergy but also assesses its severity. By administering the allergen in gradually increasing amounts, our team can identify the threshold at which reactions occur, providing crucial information for crafting personalized management plans. This tailored approach ensures that patients receive the most effective and safe dietary recommendations.
Informed Treatment Decisions
The insights gained from an OFC guide our treatment strategies. For confirmed allergies, we advise strict avoidance of the offending food. However, in cases of milder reactions, the challenge helps us determine safe threshold doses, allowing patients to maintain a varied diet without undue risk.
Commitment to Safety
Safety is paramount at Amerimmune Clinic. Our OFCs are conducted in a fully equipped medical facility, with immediate access to emergency interventions in the unlikely event of a severe reaction like anaphylaxis. We ensure that all patients undergo comprehensive pre-testing and discuss the potential risks and benefits with our clinicians before proceeding with the challenge.
An oral food challenge is conducted in a controlled, safe environment by our team of experienced healthcare professionals. During the procedure, patients consume small, gradually increasing amounts of the suspected allergen under close supervision. Our staff is trained to monitor for any signs of an allergic reaction, such as hives, swelling, or anaphylaxis, ensuring immediate intervention if necessary. This careful oversight distinguishes true allergic reactions from non-allergic food sensitivities or intolerances, providing clarity and peace of mind to our patients.
We use oral food challenges to evaluate allergies to a wide variety of foods, ranging from common allergens like milk, eggs, and peanuts to less typical ones such as certain fruits, vegetables, and spices. Customized to each patient’s history and symptoms, our approach ensures personalized and precise allergy assessment.
Understanding the potential risks associated with oral food challenges, Amerimmune Clinic prioritizes patient safety by first assessing the blood with BAT response to the allergen to be challenged. Our facility is equipped with the necessary resources to manage any adverse reactions swiftly and effectively, underscoring our commitment to patient welfare.
By integrating oral food challenges into our diagnostic repertoire, we empower patients with definitive answers, guiding them towards optimal management of their food allergies and improved quality of life.
Oral food challenge is a meticulously monitored process designed to accurately determine food allergies or confirm if a patient has outgrown an existing allergy.
• Initial Assessment (1-2 Hours): Upon arrival, our experienced healthcare professionals will begin by administering a small, controlled amount of the suspected allergen orally. You will be under continuous observation for any immediate allergic reactions, with our team ready to provide prompt medical assistance if necessary.
• Incremental Testing (Several Hours): If no reaction occurs initially, we will gradually increase the quantity of the allergen every 15 to 30 minutes. This step-by-step approach allows us to carefully monitor your tolerance and response, ensuring a thorough and safe evaluation.
• Post-Exposure Monitoring: After the final dose, you will remain under observation to detect any delayed allergic reactions. Our clinic is equipped to manage any potential reactions, ensuring your safety throughout the entire process.
Find reliable oral food challenge testing at Amerimmune Clinic for you to identify and manage food allergies effectively. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We have convenient locations to serve you. We serve patients from McLean VA, Alexandria VA, Arlington VA, Bethesda MD, Gaithersburg MD, Rockville MD, Vienna VA, IdylWood VA, Lincolnia VA, Groveton VA, Falls Church VA, North Bethesda MD, Takoma Park MD, Montgomery Village MD, Redland MD, Aspen Hill MD, and surrounding areas.

Additional Services You May Need
▸ Allergy Consultation
▸ Immunology Consultation
▸ Allergen Immunotherapy
▸ Allergy Vials
▸ Allergy Shots
▸ Biological Drug Administration
▸ Diagnostic Testing
▸ Skin Prick Testing
▸ Allergy Patch Testing
▸ Oral Food Challenge Testing
▸ Nasal Swab Culture Testing
▸ Routine Venipuncture Testing
▸ Telehealth
▸ Immunology Testing
▸ Food Allergy Testing

Additional Services You May Need
▸ Allergy Consultation
▸ Immunology Consultation
▸ Allergen Immunotherapy
▸ Allergy Vials
▸ Allergy Shots
▸ Biological Drug Administration
▸ Diagnostic Testing
▸ Skin Prick Testing
▸ Allergy Patch Testing
▸ Oral Food Challenge Testing
▸ Nasal Swab Culture Testing
▸ Routine Venipuncture Testing
▸ Telehealth
▸ Immunology Testing
▸ Food Allergy Testing