Allergy - Broccoli Test

Different kinds of food allergies are predominant in infants, while many adults are also found to be allergic to certain food items. Broccoli is one such vegetable, which can produce undesirable reactions on being consumed by an individual allergic to it. An allergy to broccoli appears when the immune system of the body wrongfully assumes that broccoli is a foreign substance, and can be harmful for the body. The immune system, in response, produces antibodies, which results in the appearance of certain symptoms. The allergy to broccoli can be easily detected and hence avoided, by carrying out a simple skin test.

A test for broccoli allergy is conducted on a skin sample, and does not require any specific preparations. Do inform your doctor about the prevailing health conditions and medications being consumed (if any) before undergoing the test. This test does not require any fasting.

Evidently, the broccoli test is the way to go, if you suspect that you are allergic to broccoli. The symptoms of a broccoli allergy include itching of the mouth, rashes and swelling in and around the mouth, swelling of the lips, hands or feet, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting and dizziness. So if any of these, or a combination of these symptoms appear within an hour of consuming broccoli, a lab test for broccoli allergy would be the most effective way forward.

The test is conducted by the traditional ‘skin prick’ method (also called puncture or scratch test). This method involves exposing your skin to the substance being tested against (broccoli in this case), to observe how your skin reacts to the trigger. It’s harmless, as a very controlled amount of the allergen is injected into the skin. The test is extremely simple. The doctor will simply insert the broccoli triggers into a skin patch using a needle prick. In case you happen to be allergic to broccoli, you will have to bare the reaction once, but for a greater convenience later on.