Blueberry Allergy Blood Test (Quest)

This test measures a person's allergic reaction to blueberries.  Allergies to blueberries as well as other types of fruits and vegetables are usually caused by a reaction to chemicals called salicylates.  Other types of products such as perfumes, shampoos, herbal supplements, cosmetics, topical creams, ointments, and some medications contain these same chemicals.  For this reason, it is common for people who have allergies to fruits or berries to have to avoid other products as well.  If you are allergic to blueberries, you will need to be careful about checking the ingredients as blueberries are used in a variety of products.

Allergy symptoms can develop anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours after ingestion.  Common food allergy symptoms include rash, hives, itching, cough, wheezing, tightening of the throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and lightheadedness.  People with a severe allergy may experience anaphylaxis which can be fatal.   

Food allergies are caused by a reaction in the body's immune system.  The body identifies certain substances as harmful and produces IgE antibodies against them.  These antibodies trigger the release of histamine which causes the symptoms of an allergic reaction.  The severity of the allergy will vary from one person to the next.  Blood allergy testing provides numerical results for IgE antibody levels to help determine how severe a reaction a person will have.  Positive allergy test results should be discussed with a person's doctor to determine the appropriate follow-up.

This test is typically ordered when someone experiences allergy symptoms shortly after eating blueberries or products that contain blueberries.  Blueberry allergy testing is also included in our Berry Allergy Test.  For more options, please see our allergy testing category.

Turnaround for this test is typically 2-5 business days.