Wheat allergy
Hives after pasta, or a reaction that only shows up when you eat bread before a run? Wheat can trigger an IgE allergy, but most wheat problems people talk about are something else, like coeliac disease or non-coeliac sensitivity. Our test checks for IgE antibodies to five single wheat proteins and to spelt, as part of 300 allergens and allergen components. It does not test for coeliac disease.
- Group
- Food
- Also known as
- wheat flour, gluten, gliadin, omega-5 gliadin, Triticum, spelt
Where you meet it
- Bread, pasta, couscous, pizza and baked goods
- Breakfast cereals, crackers and biscuits
- Sauces, soups and gravies thickened with flour
- Beer, soy sauce and some processed meats
- Related grains: spelt, kamut, durum and semolina are all wheat
Three different wheat problems
Wheat allergy is an immune reaction driven by IgE antibodies to wheat proteins. Reactions usually come on within minutes to two hours. This is the only one of the three that our test looks at.
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition in which gluten leads to damage in the lining of the small intestine. Doctors diagnose it with different tests. An IgE result cannot rule coeliac disease in or out, so if it is a question for you, talk to a doctor before you change your diet.
Non-coeliac gluten or wheat sensitivity describes people who get symptoms such as bloating after wheat without allergy or coeliac disease. There is no validated blood test for it, and IgE does not measure it.
What people commonly report
Reactions people describe with IgE wheat allergy include hives, itching, swelling, stomach cramps, a blocked or runny nose, and in some cases wheezing.
One pattern is worth knowing: in some adults, reactions appear only when wheat is combined with a trigger such as exercise, alcohol or certain painkillers. This is linked to a wheat protein called omega-5 gliadin (Tri a 19), which is on the panel. If that sounds familiar, raise it with a doctor.
Inhaling flour dust at work can also cause sensitisation, often called baker's asthma. Breathing problems at work need a doctor, not a home test.
Grass pollen and wheat
Wheat is a grass. People sensitised to grass pollen often show some IgE to whole wheat extracts because the proteins look alike, and many of them eat wheat without any trouble. That is one reason a wheat result on its own does not mean you should stop eating bread.
This panel measures single wheat proteins rather than a whole wheat extract. These are generally less affected by grass pollen cross-reactivity. The whole spelt extract on the panel can still pick up that overlap.
How our test checks wheat
The lab measures IgE to five single wheat proteins (molecular components) and to a whole spelt extract. Barley, rye, oats and other grains are on the same panel. Your lab report gives each a measured value and class, from Negative to Very high. That is sensitisation, which is not the same as a clinical allergy. Do not cut out wheat based on the result alone. If coeliac disease is a question for you, talk to a doctor first, because diet changes can affect coeliac testing.
- Tri a 19: omega-5 gliadin, linked to exercise-related wheat reactions
- Tri a 14: a lipid transfer protein (LTP)
- Tri a 36 and Tri a 37: a glutenin and a thionin
- Tri a aA_TI: alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitors, linked to baker's asthma
- Spelt: whole extract
- Does not measure: coeliac disease, non-coeliac sensitivity, IgG or food intolerance
Known cross-reactions
- Grass pollen
- Wheat and grass pollen share similar proteins. Grass pollen sensitisation often shows up as low IgE to whole wheat or spelt extracts in people who eat wheat without symptoms.
- Barley and rye
- Closely related cereals, both on the panel. Some people sensitised to wheat also show antibodies to them.
Sources
- EAACI Molecular Allergology User's Guide 2.0. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 2023.
- Wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2016.
- Identification of the IgE-binding epitope in omega-5 gliadin, a major allergen in wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2004.
Page last updated
300 allergens. One test.
A finger-prick sample at home, sent by post. A detailed lab report typically 5 days after the lab receives your sample, and our plain-English guide to reading it. €300, €1 per allergen.
Questions
Is this a coeliac test?
No. Coeliac disease is autoimmune and doctors diagnose it with different tests. Our test measures IgE, which is the allergy-type antibody, and says nothing about coeliac disease.
Is wheat allergy the same as gluten intolerance?
No. Wheat allergy involves IgE antibodies and usually fast reactions. 'Gluten intolerance' is used loosely for coeliac disease or non-coeliac sensitivity, neither of which our test measures.
My result shows wheat, but I eat bread every day. Why?
Sensitisation is not the same as reacting, and low levels are common in people who eat wheat without symptoms. With whole cereal extracts such as spelt, grass pollen sensitisation can also play a part. Talk to a doctor before you change your diet.
Should I go gluten-free before testing?
Talk to a doctor before you change your diet. This IgE test does not need any diet change. If coeliac disease is a question for you, a doctor will explain what to eat before coeliac testing, because diet changes can affect those results.