Almond allergy testing in 400 children at one clinic
What it found
Most children tested for almond allergy passed the food challenge, with severe reactions being rare.
This was seen in 400 children at a single clinic.
What they found
Studies in people
Passing the food test
Out of 400 children, 375 passed the almond eating test without reacting. That is about 94 percent of the group.
Children who reacted
Sixteen children failed the test and 9 had unclear results. Itching was the most common symptom among those who reacted. Only 2 children needed epinephrine treatment.
Allergy test numbers
Higher blood antibody levels and larger skin prick bumps were linked to failing the eating test. But even with antibody levels up to 10 kU A /L and skin bumps up to 5 mm, more than 95 percent still passed.
Severe reactions were rare
Among the children who did react to almond during the test, anaphylaxis was uncommon.
What the authors conclude
- They found that 94 percent of the children in their group passed the almond eating test.
- They note that higher allergy test numbers were linked to failing, but most children still passed even with raised levels.
- The authors say their data supports doing these outpatient almond eating tests for selected patients.
How it was done
Standard allergy tests for almond often give false alarms. Accurate diagnosis matters because almond provides nutrition and milk alternatives for children who are allergic to other foods.
Doctors reviewed records of 400 children who took supervised almond eating tests at one clinic. The tests happened between October 2015 and July 2017. They looked at who reacted, what symptoms appeared, and which lab results matched those reactions.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work looked at children at one clinic, so the results may not apply to all people or adults.
- An observational review of medical records can show links between test numbers and reactions, but it cannot prove one causes the other.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, New York
The paper
- Title
- Review of 400 consecutive oral food challenges to almond
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Baker MG, Kattan JD (2019). Review of 400 consecutive oral food challenges to almond. Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2018.10.025PubMed 30414467DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error