When you’re enjoying a nice meal, the last thing you want is to have a negative reaction to the food. Eating a food you are allergic to can cause hives, swollen airways, or digestive issues. Don’t take the risk—take a food challenge test.

This test can be used to confirm an allergy you already suspect or help when blood tests or skin prick tests are inconclusive. Most food challenges are performed to show that someone has grown out of their allergy and should definitely be completed in the office of a board-certified allergist. You will be asked to eat the potential food allergen in small doses. An experienced doctor will look for signs of an allergic reaction for a short time following each dose. Although most of these reactions are mild, this type of allergy testing should only be performed with an allergist present in case of a more severe reaction.