Premium Food Intolerance Test

If you’re experiencing symptoms such as bloating, stomach cramps, headaches, fatigue or digestive discomfort, a food intolerance test may help you better understand whether certain foods could be contributing to how you feel.
YorkTest’s Food Intolerance Tests analyse food-specific IgG antibody reactions to a wide range of food and drink ingredients. The results can help you identify potential dietary triggers and support a structured elimination approach where appropriate.

It’s important to remember that a food intolerance is different from a food allergy. Food allergies involve IgE antibodies and can cause immediate, potentially serious reactions, whereas food intolerances are typically associated with delayed symptoms that may develop several hours after eating.

Our Food Intolerance Tests are designed to be simple and convenient to complete from home.
After placing your order, we’ll send you an easy-to-use finger-prick blood collection kit with full instructions. Once you’ve collected your sample, simply return it to our UKAS-accredited laboratory using the prepaid packaging provided.

Your sample is analysed for food-specific IgG antibody reactions, and your results are then securely uploaded to your Wellness Hub. Depending on the test you’ve chosen, you’ll also have access to expert support from one of our Registered Nutritional Therapists to help you understand your results and make informed dietary changes.

YorkTest has been supporting customers for over 40 years and uses rigorous laboratory processes to ensure reliable and reproducible results.

Our Food Intolerance Tests analyse all four subclasses of food-specific IgG antibodies across up to 200 food and drink ingredients, depending on the test selected. Our laboratory testing has a reproducibility rate of over 98%, meaning repeat testing of the same sample produces highly consistent results.

Every sample is analysed in our UKAS-accredited laboratory using robust quality control procedures.

YorkTest’s Food Intolerance Tests analyse reactions to up to 200 food and drink ingredients, including everyday foods such as dairy, wheat, eggs and fish, as well as fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, nuts and many other commonly consumed ingredients.

Because food intolerances are highly individual, the foods that trigger symptoms can vary significantly from person to person. Testing helps you understand your own responses rather than relying on general elimination diets or guesswork.

Food intolerances can contribute to a wide range of symptoms, which often vary between individuals.

Common symptoms may include:

• Bloating
• Excess wind
• Stomach cramps
• Digestive discomfort
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Low energy
• Skin complaints, such as eczema

Because symptoms are often delayed, it can sometimes be difficult to identify which foods may be contributing to them. Food Intolerance Testing can help provide greater clarity alongside appropriate dietary advice.

Our Food Intolerance Tests are suitable for adults experiencing ongoing symptoms that they believe may be linked to certain foods.

YorkTest also offers selected Food Intolerance Tests for children and family testing options.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, currently receiving treatment for an eating disorder, or have significant or unexplained symptoms, we recommend speaking to your GP or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes or taking a food intolerance test.

Although the terms are often confused in everyday conversation, food allergies and food intolerances are different conditions.

Food allergies involve the immune system and IgE antibodies. Reactions usually occur quickly and can sometimes be severe or life-threatening.

Food intolerances are different. YorkTest’s Food Intolerance Tests analyse food-specific IgG antibody reactions, which are associated with delayed responses that may develop several hours after eating.

If you experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or signs of anaphylaxis, seek emergency medical attention immediately.

Yes. Food intolerances can develop at any stage of life, even if you’ve eaten a particular food for many years without any obvious problems.

Changes in diet, lifestyle, stress, digestive health and other factors may influence how your body responds to certain foods over time.

Because symptoms often develop gradually and may be delayed, many people don’t immediately recognise that particular foods could be contributing to how they feel.

Food intolerance symptoms can vary considerably between individuals.

Some people experience symptoms within a few hours of eating a trigger food, while others notice symptoms developing more gradually. The duration of symptoms will depend on several factors, including how much of the trigger food has been consumed and how frequently it’s eaten.

Identifying potential dietary triggers and following an appropriate elimination plan may help you better understand your body’s responses.

Yes. If possible, it’s generally recommended that you continue eating your normal diet before taking your Food Intolerance Test.

Regular exposure to foods helps ensure your IgG antibody profile reflects your usual diet. Removing foods before testing may affect your results.

If you’re unsure whether this applies to your circumstances, speak to our Customer Care Team before completing your test.

Your results are available through your secure Wellness Hub account and are designed to be easy to understand.

Your personalised report includes a colour-coded guide showing your IgG antibody reactions to each food tested, helping you identify which foods may require closer consideration as part of an elimination approach.

Depending on your chosen test, you’ll also have access to personalised nutritional guidance from one of our Registered Nutritional Therapists to help you put your results into practice safely and confidently.

Receiving your results is only the beginning of your journey.

Your personalised report is designed to help you better understand your body’s responses to different foods. Depending on the test you’ve selected, you’ll also have access to support from one of our Registered Nutritional Therapists, who can help you interpret your results, build a balanced elimination plan and ensure any dietary changes remain nutritionally appropriate.

With ongoing guidance and practical advice, you’ll have the support you need to make informed, sustainable changes with confidence.

The immune system of children under 2 years old is still developing, which means food-specific IgG antibody testing may not provide reliable results. In addition, removing foods from a young child’s diet without professional guidance could increase the risk of nutritional deficiencies. YorkTest can only accept samples from children under the age of 2 when accompanied by a referral letter from a GMC-registered Medical Practitioner or an HCPC-registered Dietitian. If you have concerns about your child’s symptoms, we recommend speaking to your healthcare professional before considering food intolerance testing.

If you have already eliminated foods because you know they trigger symptoms, YorkTest does not recommend reintroducing those foods simply to prepare for testing. Your health and wellbeing should always come first. If there are foods that you have only recently reduced or rarely eat, these may be less likely to produce detectable IgG antibodies. If you choose to include these foods before testing, they should typically be eaten regularly for around six weeks before taking your sample. This decision should only be made if you feel comfortable doing so. Before taking your test, it can also be helpful to make a note of your usual diet and any symptoms you experience. This information can support you when reviewing your results and making dietary changes.

Many customers choose to retest after following an elimination and reintroduction programme, particularly if their diet has changed significantly or they are experiencing new symptoms. As your immune response can change over time, YorkTest generally recommends considering a repeat Food Intolerance Test every 6 to 12 months if you wish to monitor your food-specific IgG antibody levels.

If you develop any new, severe or worsening symptoms, you should always seek advice from your GP or healthcare professional. Returning YorkTest customers can also benefit from exclusive discounts on future testing.

Although they can cause similar digestive symptoms, coeliac disease and gluten intolerance are different conditions. Coeliac disease is a lifelong autoimmune disease in which eating gluten causes damage to the lining of the small intestine. Diagnosis requires assessment by a healthcare professional, usually involving specific blood tests and, in many cases, an intestinal biopsy. YorkTest does not test for coeliac disease. The YorkTest Premium Food Intolerance Test measures IgG antibodies to gliadin, a component of gluten. Elevated IgG antibodies may indicate a food intolerance or sensitivity to gluten-containing foods, which is different from coeliac disease. For some people, symptoms associated with gluten intolerance may improve after following a carefully managed elimination and reintroduction programme. If you think you may have coeliac disease, you should speak to your GP before removing gluten from your diet, as eliminating gluten beforehand can affect the accuracy of diagnostic testing.

Yes. You can still take a YorkTest Food Intolerance Test if you are taking steroids, immunosuppressant medication or certain types of chemotherapy. However, these treatments can reduce your body’s production of antibodies, including IgG antibodies. This means your results may show lower antibody levels than they otherwise would. Despite this, any positive food reactions identified during testing may still provide valuable information. It is important to interpret your results in the context of your medication, and if you are unsure, we recommend discussing your results with your healthcare professional or one of YorkTest’s Nutritional Therapists. If you are currently undergoing chemotherapy or taking immunosuppressive medication and would like advice before ordering a test, our Customer Service Team will be happy to help.