A range of symptoms can be triggered by food chemicals which are thought to cause reactions by irritating nerve endings in different parts of the body. The chemicals involved are found in many foods including many healthy foods. Symptoms triggered by food chemicals vary from person to person. There are no reliable laboratory tests for food chemical intolerance.
The only reliable method of identifying food chemical sensitivities is through specific dietary investigation involving a short term elimination diet followed by food challenges. The dietitian can guide you through this process and provide practical resources such as instruction booklets, commercial shopping guides, meal plans and recipes. The elimination trial usually runs for 4 weeks. There are varying levels of the elimination diets ranging from a quite liberal, family friendly diet to a very restrictive elimination diet.