Celery

The Celery test is a blood test tailored to detect specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies in response to celery proteins (antigens). This test helps identify celery and celery-based food allergies.

Celery is known for its refreshing taste, often used in salads, soups, and juices, and is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. However, some individuals can have allergic reactions to celery, causing stomach problems, skin rashes, or more serious reactions. The Celery test helps detect a celery allergy by checking for specific antibodies (IgE) that the body makes against proteins present in celery. This test helps confirm if the immune system is mistakenly treating celery as a threat and causing an allergy.

The Celery test is recommended when individuals experience symptoms like swelling, itching, or discomfort in the mouth or throat, skin rashes, nausea, stomach pain, or diarrhea after eating celery or celery-based foods. It helps separate celery allergies from other conditions like food intolerances or oral allergy syndrome (OAS), a type of food allergy that causes allergic reactions in the lips, mouth, and throat upon eating certain raw fruits and vegetables. 

A positive test result for celery-specific IgE antibodies means the individual has an allergy to celery, and it’s usually best to avoid them to prevent reactions. If the result is negative, more tests might be needed to find other causes for the symptoms.

No special preparation is required for the Celery test. However, it is important to inform the doctor about any medications (such as antihistamines) or supplements being taken, as these may affect the test results. Lab test results can vary depending on the specific test method and allergens used, so they should be interpreted alongside clinical symptoms.