InstalabIgE Profile (Foods, Molds, Inhalants)
Should you take a IgE Profile (Foods, Molds, Inhalants) test?
This test is most useful if any of these apply to you.
80 Biomarkers Included
- Buckwheat IgEA grain-like seed that can cause strong reactions, more commonly reported in some regions than others.A positive matching symptoms is worth taking seriously despite buckwheat being an uncommon trigger.
- Corn IgEDetects antibody to corn, a food where reported allergy is far less common than positive tests.A positive rarely justifies avoidance unless clear symptoms follow eating corn.
- Oat IgEDetects antibody to oat, relevant to both food reactions and, occasionally, skin contact in children.Interpret alongside symptoms, since sensitization to oat often carries no clinical meaning.
- Rice IgEDetects antibody to rice, an uncommon food allergen in most Western diets.A positive without matching symptoms usually reflects sensitization, not true rice allergy.
- Sesame Seed IgESesame is a growing cause of significant food reactions and a recognized labeling allergen.A positive matching symptoms deserves attention, as sesame can cause serious reactions.
- Soybean IgEDetects antibody to soy, a common food that also cross-reacts with birch pollen.Many soy positives reflect pollen cross-reactivity rather than true, reaction-causing allergy.
- Wheat IgEDetects antibody to wheat, relevant to food allergy but separate from celiac disease.A positive reflects allergy, not gluten intolerance; celiac needs its own dedicated testing.
- Egg White IgEA leading childhood food allergen; egg white carries the proteins most tied to reactions.A positive is most meaningful in young children and often fades as they grow.
- Cow's Milk IgEOne of the earliest and most common childhood food allergies, often outgrown over time.Serial testing helps show whether a milk allergy is persisting or resolving.
- Almond IgEDetects antibody to almond, a tree nut where sensitization is common but confirmed allergy is less so.A positive result usually needs history and component testing before any avoidance decision.
- Brazil Nut IgEDetects antibody to Brazil nut, a tree nut capable of causing strong reactions in truly allergic people.Positivity that matches a reaction history deserves specialist review given the potential severity.
- Coconut IgEDetects antibody to coconut, which despite its name rarely causes serious allergy in nut-allergic people.An isolated positive seldom requires avoidance and should be weighed against symptoms.
- Hazelnut IgEA frequent tree nut trigger that also cross-reacts with birch pollen, blurring true allergy and cross-reactivity.A positive often reflects pollen cross-reactivity; component testing separates mild from serious risk.
- Peanut IgEOne of the most clinically important food tests, since peanut is a leading cause of severe food reactions.A positive warrants component testing, because whole-peanut results overcall allergy and cannot judge severity alone.
- Blue Mussel IgEA shellfish that shares allergenic proteins with shrimp and other crustaceans and mollusks.Positivity usually clusters with other shellfish results through shared proteins.
- Codfish IgECod carries the fish protein behind many true fish allergies, which often cross-react across species.A positive fish result frequently signals reactions to several fish, not just cod.
- Salmon IgEDetects antibody to salmon, sharing the same core fish protein that drives broad fish allergy.Positivity commonly travels with other fish results because the proteins overlap.
- Shrimp IgEThe classic shellfish allergen, tied to a protein it shares with dust mites.Positive shrimp with positive dust mite may reflect cross-reactivity; confirm true risk with a specialist.
- Tuna IgEDetects antibody to tuna; results often align with other fish because of shared proteins.An isolated tuna positive is uncommon and usually part of a wider fish pattern.
- Ribwort IgEPlantain weed pollen, a common contributor to grass-season hay fever.Positivity usually accompanies grass sensitivity during the same season.
- Total IgEMeasures the overall level of allergy antibody in your blood, setting the backdrop against which individual results are read.A high level signals a generally allergic immune system; a normal level does not rule out specific allergies.
- Dust Mite (D. Farinae) IgEThe second major house dust mite species; results usually move together with the first because their proteins overlap.Positivity supports a mite-driven indoor allergy pattern behind persistent rhinitis or asthma.
- Dust Mite (D. Pteronyssinus) IgEOne of the two most common indoor allergens worldwide, tied to year-round nasal allergy and asthma.A strong positive is a leading driver of perennial congestion and a common candidate for allergy immunotherapy.
- Nettle IgEA weed whose pollen can contribute to seasonal nasal symptoms in some regions.An isolated positive is often of limited significance without matching symptoms.
- Russian Thistle IgEA tumbleweed whose pollen is a notable trigger in dry western regions.Positivity points to weed pollen exposure, particularly in arid climates.
- Ryegrass IgEA major hay-fever grass whose allergens cross-react broadly with other temperate grasses.Positivity supports grass pollen as a driver of your spring and summer symptoms.
- Timothy Grass IgEA dominant grass pollen behind hay fever; its proteins are shared across many temperate grasses.One positive grass often predicts sensitivity to several, since grass proteins closely overlap.
- Bahia Grass IgEA warm-season grass common in the southern United States, contributing to seasonal pollen allergy.Positivity points to grass pollen as part of your seasonal symptom picture.
- Johnson Grass IgEAn antibody your immune system makes when it has been sensitized to Johnson grass pollen, signaling your body is primed to react when you breathe in this subtropical grass.
- Kentucky Blue/June GrassA common lawn and pasture grass whose pollen cross-reacts with other temperate grasses.Positivity generally reflects the wider grass pollen group rather than a unique trigger.
- Redtop GrassA widespread grass whose pollen adds to the shared temperate-grass allergen load.A positive is best read as part of an overall grass sensitivity pattern.
- Bermuda Grass IgEA warm-climate grass pollen that is a common trigger in southern regions.A positive helps localize your seasonal allergy to warm-season grass exposure.
- Cockroach IgECockroach allergen is a major indoor trigger in urban homes and a recognized contributor to asthma.A positive result links home pest exposure to persistent breathing and nasal symptoms.
- Australian PineA tree whose pollen is a trigger in warm coastal areas where it grows.Positivity is most relevant in subtropical and coastal environments.
- Mountain Cedar Tree IgEA tree whose winter pollen causes intense seasonal allergy in parts of the south-central United States.Positivity can explain distinctive winter hay fever where cedar is abundant.
- Pecan TreeA tree whose pollen contributes to spring allergy in regions where pecans grow.This measures pollen exposure, separate from eating pecan nuts.
- Cat Dander IgEDetects antibody to cat allergen, a frequent trigger of rhinitis and, in sensitized people, asthma flares.A positive result alongside asthma is worth close attention, since cat allergy tracks with respiratory symptoms.
- Dog Dander IgEDetects antibody to dog allergen, a common cause of indoor nasal and eye symptoms in pet households.Positivity helps explain symptoms that worsen around dogs and informs exposure decisions.
- Orchard GrassA widespread pasture grass whose pollen contributes to hay-fever symptoms and cross-reacts with other grasses.Positivity usually forms part of a broader grass pollen pattern rather than a standalone allergy.
- Sweet Vernal GrassAn early-flowering grass whose pollen adds to spring hay-fever exposure.A positive typically travels with other grasses through shared allergenic proteins.
- White MulberryA tree whose abundant spring pollen is a strong trigger in some urban and arid areas.Positivity can explain heavy spring symptoms where mulberry trees are common.
- DandelionA weed whose pollen can trigger symptoms in sensitized people, though it spreads less by air.A positive carries weight mainly when symptoms match direct exposure.
- Lambs Quarters Weed IgEA common weed whose pollen contributes to late-season allergy and overlaps with related weeds.Positivity adds weight to a weed-pollen pattern behind late-summer symptoms.
- Rough Pigweed IgEA weed whose pollen cross-reacts with other weeds and adds to summer and fall exposure.A positive is best read as part of a wider weed pollen sensitivity.
- Western Ragweed IgEA regional ragweed species contributing to fall pollen allergy where it grows.A positive supports ragweed as a seasonal trigger, especially in central and western areas.
- EucalyptusA tree whose pollen can contribute to allergy in regions where it is planted widely.An isolated positive matters mainly with matching local exposure and symptoms.
- CockleburA weed whose pollen overlaps with ragweed and adds to late-season allergy.Positivity typically travels with ragweed as part of a fall pollen pattern.
- Common RagweedThe leading late-summer and fall weed pollen, a major cause of seasonal hay fever.A positive strongly points to ragweed behind autumn nasal and eye symptoms.
- Cottonwood IgEA poplar tree whose pollen contributes to spring allergy across many regions.Positivity supports tree pollen exposure during the spring season.
- Cultivated Oat Grass IgEThe pollen of oat grass, part of the temperate grass family behind hay fever.A positive reflects grass pollen exposure and overlaps with other grass results.
- Elm Tree IgEA tree whose pollen adds to early spring and, in some species, fall allergy exposure.Positivity points to tree pollen behind seasonal nasal and eye symptoms.
- Giant RagweedA tall ragweed species whose pollen cross-reacts with common ragweed and extends fall allergy.Positivity usually accompanies common ragweed and confirms an autumn pollen driver.
- Maple Tree IgEA common spring tree pollen contributing to early-season hay fever.A positive is best read within the broader spring tree pollen picture.
- Mesquite TreeA tree pollen common in the arid southwest, contributing to regional seasonal allergy.A positive helps localize symptoms to desert and southwestern pollen exposure.
- Dust Mite (D. microceras) IgEA closely related mite that cross-reacts heavily with the two main species, adding confirmation rather than new information.An isolated positive here almost always reflects broader house dust mite sensitization.
- Mold (Generic) IgEA pooled screen for common molds, giving an overall signal of mold sensitization.A positive pooled result flags mold sensitivity worth pinning down with the specific mold tests.
- Oak Tree IgE A widespread spring tree pollen and a heavy contributor to early-season hay fever.Positivity helps pin spring symptoms to tree pollen exposure.
- Olive Tree IgEA significant tree pollen in warm and Mediterranean climates, contributing to spring allergy.A positive supports tree pollen as a driver of your spring symptoms.
- Rough Marsh ElderA ragweed-family weed whose pollen contributes to late-summer and fall symptoms.A positive supports a broader weed pollen driver alongside ragweed.
- Scale IgESaltbush weed pollen, a trigger in dry and coastal regions where it is abundant.Positivity points to weed pollen exposure in arid or coastal environments.
- Walnut Tree Pollen IgEThe airborne pollen of walnut trees, a spring hay-fever trigger distinct from the edible nut.A positive reflects breathing walnut pollen, not necessarily any reaction to eating walnuts.
- Alder TreeAn early-flowering tree in the birch family whose pollen cross-reacts with birch.A positive often accompanies birch and shares its pollen-food cross-reactivity.
- Birch Tree IgEA major spring tree pollen and the classic source of pollen-food cross-reactivity.A positive birch often explains itchy-mouth reactions to hazelnut, almond, apple, and soy.
- BromegrassA pasture grass whose pollen contributes to hay fever and overlaps with related grasses.Positivity usually clusters with other grass results through shared proteins.
- Canary GrassA grass whose pollen can contribute to seasonal allergy and cross-reacts with other grasses.An isolated positive is uncommon and typically part of broader grass sensitization.
- Aspergillus Fumigatus Mold IgEA common indoor and outdoor mold linked to airway allergy and, in some people, harder-to-control asthma.Positivity can flag a mold contributing to chronic respiratory symptoms worth investigating further.
- Alternaria Alternata Mold IgEThe mold most consistently tied to asthma, especially outdoor and seasonal flares.A positive Alternaria is the mold result most likely to matter for asthma risk.
- Candida Albicans Mold IgEAntibody to a common yeast; airborne sensitization is far more meaningful than a positive alone.A positive rarely indicates infection and should not drive antifungal or diet decisions by itself.
- Cladosporium Herbarum Mold IgEOne of the most abundant outdoor molds, rising in warm months and contributing to seasonal airway symptoms.A positive supports mold as a driver of your warm-weather nasal or chest complaints.
- Curvularia Lunata Mold IgEAn outdoor mold linked to airway allergy in warmer and humid climates.Positivity is most relevant where humidity keeps outdoor mold counts high.
- Epicoccum Purpurascens Mold IgEA common outdoor mold whose spores add to the airborne mold load.A positive typically forms part of a broader mold sensitivity pattern.
- Fusarium Moniliforme Mold IgEAn outdoor and crop-associated mold that can contribute to seasonal airway allergy.A positive supports outdoor mold exposure behind warm-season symptoms.
- Helminthosporium Halodes Mold IgEA grass- and crop-associated outdoor mold contributing to seasonal airway allergy.Positivity points to outdoor mold as a possible seasonal trigger.
- Mucor Racemosus Mold IgEAn environmental mold that can add to airborne mold sensitization in some people.A positive is most meaningful when it fits a mold-related symptom pattern.
- Penicillium Notatum Mold IgEA common indoor mold found in damp buildings, contributing to year-round airway symptoms.Positivity can link indoor damp exposure to persistent respiratory complaints.
- Phoma Betae Mold IgEAn outdoor and plant-associated mold occasionally driving airway sensitization.A positive is best read within the overall mold and outdoor picture.
- Pityrosporum Orbiculare Mold IgEA skin yeast (now called Malassezia) whose sensitization is most studied in relation to eczema and dermatitis.A positive is most relevant for people with stubborn eczema rather than airway symptoms.
- Rhizopus Nigricans Mold IgEA common bread and soil mold occasionally contributing to airway allergy.Positivity carries weight mainly alongside symptoms and other mold results.
- Stemphylium Botryosum Mold IgEAn outdoor mold associated with plants and soil, adding to airborne mold exposure.Positivity contributes to a broader outdoor mold sensitivity assessment.
- Trichoderma Viride Mold IgEA soil and wood mold found in damp environments, occasionally contributing to airway allergy.A positive is most meaningful with damp-exposure history and matching symptoms.
About IgE Profile (Foods, Molds, Inhalants)
Sneezing that never quits, an itchy mouth after fruit, a rash you cannot pin down. When your body decides something in your food or your air is a threat, it leaves a chemical trail. This panel reads that trail across dozens of common triggers in a single draw.
It measures the allergy antibody your immune system makes (called immunoglobulin E, or IgE) against specific foods, molds, pollens, dust mites, and pet danders. The result is a map of where you are primed to react, and just as usefully, where you are not.
What This Panel Reveals
The panel tells one story from three directions: what you eat, what you breathe, and the molds around you. Each individual test looks for the allergy antibody aimed at one source. Read together, they show your overall sensitization pattern rather than a single yes-or-no answer.
A total IgE test sets the backdrop. Think of it as the overall volume knob on your allergic system. The individual food and inhalant tests then show which specific triggers your body has learned to recognize, from dust mites and grasses to peanut, shellfish, and airborne mold spores.
The most useful signal is often breadth. When someone reacts to several triggers at once (a pattern called polysensitization), that breadth tends to track more severe nasal allergy and a higher chance of asthma. In one hospital-based analysis, people reacting to the most allergens had about 13 times the odds of allergic rhinitis (odds ratio 13.00) and more than double the odds of allergic asthma (odds ratio 2.37) compared with those reacting to few or none. In another study, 81 percent of allergy patients were polysensitized, and that group had more severe symptoms.
Sensitization Is Not the Same as Allergy
A positive result means your body has made antibodies to a trigger. It does not automatically mean that trigger makes you sick. This distinction is the single most important thing to understand before reading your panel.
Blood allergy tests catch most people who are truly allergic to a food, with sensitivity that is generally high but varies by food and by the test used. They also flag many people who are not truly allergic; a positive food result matches a real allergy only about half the time. Airborne triggers behave the same way. In one study of healthy Tokyo residents, 78.0 percent carried allergy antibodies to at least one inhaled trigger, rising to 94.0 percent among men in their twenties, most of them without disabling allergy. Because of this, allergy specialists favor testing directed by your symptoms and warn against acting on broad panels alone.
How to Read Your Results Together
Patterns matter more than any single positive. Some combinations point to a real, actionable allergy. Others reveal cross-reactivity, where antibodies aimed at one source also stick to a related protein in a different one.
| Pattern | What It Often Suggests |
|---|---|
| Total IgE high with many positives | Broad allergic tendency; tracks with more severe nasal allergy and higher asthma risk. Worth mapping with a specialist. |
| Birch or tree pollen positive, plus hazelnut, almond, or soy | Likely pollen-food cross-reactivity. Often causes mild mouth itch rather than dangerous reactions. |
| Dust mite positive, plus shrimp or mussel | A shared protein can link the two; mite and shrimp antibodies correlate strongly. A true shellfish risk needs specialist confirmation. |
| Food positive, but you eat it with no problem | Sensitization without allergy. Usually no reason to remove the food from your diet. |
Grass pollens are a good example of why breadth can mislead. Many temperate grasses share nearly identical proteins, so one positive grass often drags several others along with it. That can look like many separate allergies when it is really one.
What to Do with Your Results
Start by matching each positive to your real-world experience. A trigger you avoid anyway, or one you tolerate without trouble, rarely changes your plan. A positive that lines up with clear symptoms is the one worth acting on.
When a food result is ambiguous, molecular (component) testing sharpens it. Measuring the antibody to a specific storage protein rather than the whole food raises specificity: the peanut component Ara h 2 reaches about 92 percent, hazelnut Cor a 14 about 95 percent, cashew Ana o 3 about 94 percent, and milk casein about 93 percent. In infants, Ara h 2 at a cutoff of 0.1 units per liter separated true peanut allergy from mere sensitization with 94 percent sensitivity and 98 percent specificity. Certain component patterns, such as tree-nut 2S albumins and the peach protein Pru p 3, are also linked to a higher rate of serious reactions.
See an allergist when results and symptoms disagree, when a food reaction has ever involved breathing or swelling, or when you are considering removing foods. A specialist can add component testing, skin testing, or a supervised food challenge, which remains the only way to confirm a true food allergy. If a result does not fit your history, repeating it, sometimes with a different lab's test, is reasonable, and in children serial testing over time shows whether an allergy is being outgrown.
Retest cadence depends on the goal. If you are tracking a childhood food allergy or watching a new therapy, yearly testing captures meaningful change. For stable environmental allergies, retest when symptoms shift or a new exposure enters your life, such as a pet or a move to a new climate.