Does a positive IgG result mean I am intolerant to that food?

Not necessarily. IgG antibodies to foods are found in healthy individuals and reflect exposure and immune tolerance rather than pathology. A positive result indicates that your immune system has encountered the antigen, but clinical correlation and response to elimination are required to determine whether the food contributes to symptoms.

Is this test recognised by mainstream allergy and gastroenterology societies?

No. Major societies including AAAAI, EAACI, ACG, and AGA do not recommend IgG or IgA food testing for diagnosing food intolerance, stating that these antibodies are markers of exposure rather than disease. The test is used in integrative and functional-medicine settings as an exploratory tool.

Can Array 10 diagnose coeliac disease?

No. Coeliac disease is diagnosed by specific serology (tissue transglutaminase IgA, endomysial antibodies) and duodenal biopsy. Array 10 is not a substitute for coeliac testing and should not be used to rule out coeliac disease.

Should I eliminate all foods that test positive?

Results should guide an empirical elimination trial, not a blanket avoidance of all reactive foods. Practitioners typically prioritise strongly reactive antigens and trial elimination for a defined period, followed by controlled reintroduction to confirm causality. Eliminating too many foods without clinical justification risks nutritional inadequacy.

Will antibody levels fall if I avoid the reactive food?

Antibody titres may decline over months of strict avoidance, though the rate of decline varies by individual and antigen. Some practitioners use serial testing to monitor response to elimination, but the correlation between antibody reduction and symptom improvement is not firmly established.

Is fasting required before the test?

No. Patients should maintain their usual diet before testing, as the panel measures antibodies generated by habitual food exposure. Restricting intake before the test may lower reactivity and reduce the clinical yield.

How long does it take to receive results?

Turnaround is typically 10–14 business days from specimen receipt at Cyrex Laboratories, though it may be longer during high-volume periods or if additional technical review is required.

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Add-On: 180 Food IgG/IgA - Array 10

The Add-On: 180 Food IgG/IgA - Array 10 measures serum IgG and IgA antibodies to 180 dietary antigens, used in integrative medicine to investigate suspected delayed food reactions and guide elimination diets. Elevated antibodies reflect antigen exposure and adaptive immune memory but do not confirm intolerance;

Biomarkers

Blood (serum)

Sample

10–14 business days

Turnaround

Fasting

What is the Array 10 test?

The Add-On: 180 Food IgG/IgA - Array 10 is a comprehensive multiplex immunoassay measuring serum IgG and IgA antibodies against 180 individual food antigens, including grains, dairy proteins, meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, spices, and processed food components. It is ordered by practitioners working in integrative and functional medicine to investigate suspected non-IgE-mediated food reactivity in patients with chronic gastrointestinal symptoms, systemic inflammation, or conditions hypothesised to involve immune-mediated food intolerance. The test is positioned as an add-on, typically following or accompanying intestinal-permeability or autoimmune screening arrays from the same laboratory, and results are used to construct individualised elimination diets. Because food-specific IgG and IgA are detectable in healthy individuals and their presence does not confirm causality, the panel is regarded as an exploratory tool rather than a diagnostic test, and its clinical application is not endorsed by mainstream allergy or gastroenterology societies.

What does the Array 10 test measure?

IgG(Food-Specific Immunoglobulin G)

Range: Laboratory-specific reactivity thresholds; results reported as negative, borderline, or positive for each antigen tested.Optimal: The concept of an 'optimal' IgG level to food is not established in conventional immunology; absence of reactivity or low baseline reactivity is considered normal.arbitrary units / optical density

IgG antibodies against dietary proteins are part of the normal mucosal immune repertoire and can be detected at low levels in healthy individuals. Elevated antigen-specific IgG may reflect increased intestinal permeability, repeated antigen exposure, or adaptive immune memory, but the clinical significance of IgG reactivity in the absence of IgE-mediated allergy or coeliac disease remains contested in mainstream immunology.

Practitioners who order food-specific IgG panels propose that elevated antibody levels signal delayed immune reactions contributing to gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, headache, and systemic inflammation. However, IgG to foods is also a marker of antigen exposure rather than pathology, and most gastroenterology and allergy societies do not recommend IgG testing for food intolerance. The test is used in integrative and functional-medicine settings as an exploratory tool to guide empirical elimination diets.

IgA(Food-Specific Immunoglobulin A)

Range: Laboratory-specific reactivity thresholds; results reported as negative, borderline, or positive for each antigen tested.Optimal: No established 'optimal' level; absence of serum IgA reactivity to foods is considered physiological.arbitrary units / optical density

Secretory IgA is the dominant antibody isotype at mucosal surfaces, neutralising antigens in the gut lumen and modulating the microbiota. Serum IgA antibodies to foods are less abundant than IgG but may reflect mucosal immune activation. Their detection in serum is thought to indicate breached epithelial barrier function or active mucosal immune responses to dietary antigens.

Elevated serum IgA to specific foods is interpreted in functional medicine as evidence of mucosal immune activation and intestinal permeability, and may be tested alongside IgG to capture a broader picture of adaptive immune reactivity. Mainstream allergy and gastroenterology guidelines do not endorse serum food-specific IgA testing outside research settings, so clinical application remains exploratory.

Why is the Array 10 test ordered?

Evaluation of suspected delayed or non-IgE-mediated food reactions in patients with chronic gastrointestinal symptoms unresponsive to standard therapy
Investigation of systemic symptoms — fatigue, headache, joint pain, or skin manifestations — hypothesised to involve immune-mediated food intolerance
Guidance of empirical elimination diets in patients with suspected leaky gut syndrome or heightened intestinal permeability
Assessment of immune reactivity to foods in the context of autoimmune disease, where molecular mimicry or cross-reactivity is proposed as a contributing factor
Follow-up monitoring after an elimination and reintroduction protocol, to assess whether antibody levels decline with dietary modification
Integration with other Cyrex arrays (intestinal permeability, gluten-associated cross-reactivity, or autoimmune panels) in a functional-medicine work-up

Sample collection and turnaround

Sample type

Blood (serum)

Fasting required

Collection method

Venipuncture at patient service centre

Turnaround

10–14 business days

Collection notes

Phlebotomy performed at a participating draw site; serum separated and shipped to Cyrex Laboratories on cold packs per the laboratory's specimen-handling protocol. Patients should maintain their usual diet before testing, as the panel measures antibodies generated by habitual food exposure.

Specimen requirements

Minimum serum volume per Cyrex protocol (typically 2–3 mL); consult the laboratory's current test requisition form for precise requirements. Specimen must be refrigerated or frozen promptly and shipped with appropriate temperature control to preserve antibody integrity.

What can affect Array 10 results?

elevatesRecent ingestion of reactive foods

Antibody levels reflect cumulative exposure; ongoing consumption of an antigen sustains or raises specific IgG and IgA, while prolonged avoidance may allow titres to decline.

elevatesIntestinal permeability and barrier dysfunction

Increased gut permeability permits intact or partially digested food proteins to cross the epithelium, driving adaptive immune responses and elevating serum antibodies; treating the barrier defect may reduce reactivity over time.

reducesSelective IgA deficiency

Patients with selective IgA deficiency will have absent or very low food-specific IgA; the IgG component remains interpretable but the IgA panel loses clinical meaning.

reducesImmunosuppressive therapy

Systemic corticosteroids, biologics, or other immunosuppression can blunt antibody production and lower measured IgG and IgA reactivity, masking true immune responses.

variableCross-reactive epitopes and polyclonal stimulation

Some antibodies may recognise epitopes shared across multiple foods or non-food antigens, leading to patterns of reactivity that do not correspond one-to-one with clinical intolerance; interpretation must account for possible cross-reactivity.

variableAssay platform and antigen preparation

Results are specific to Cyrex's proprietary antigen library and detection method; values are not interchangeable with other laboratories' food-antibody panels, limiting serial comparability if the platform changes.

What do Array 10 results mean?

Elevated

Elevated IgG or IgA to a specific food is interpreted as evidence of repeated antigen exposure and adaptive immune memory; in the functional-medicine model it is taken as a signal to trial elimination of that food. However, antibody presence does not prove causality — IgG to foods is found in healthy individuals and can reflect tolerance rather than pathology. Clinical correlation and response to elimination are essential to determine whether a reactive food is contributing to symptoms.

Normal

A 'negative' or low-reactivity result on the Array 10 panel indicates that serum IgG and IgA levels to the tested foods fall below the laboratory's cutoff thresholds. This pattern is seen in individuals with intact immune tolerance or limited dietary exposure, but does not rule out IgE-mediated allergy, coeliac disease, or non-immune mechanisms of food intolerance.

Reduced

Absent or low reactivity across the panel suggests either limited antigen exposure (restrictive baseline diet), effective immune tolerance, or impaired antibody production (in the case of immunodeficiency or immunosuppression). It does not exclude non-immune-mediated food intolerance such as lactose intolerance or fructose malabsorption.

Note: The clinical utility of serum food-specific IgG and IgA testing is not supported by consensus guidelines from major allergy (AAAAI, EAACI) or gastroenterology (ACG, AGA) societies, which state that IgG to foods is a marker of exposure rather than intolerance. Elevated antibodies should not be interpreted in isolation; empirical elimination must be followed by controlled reintroduction to establish causality. The Array 10 is a functional and investigational tool, not a diagnostic test for food allergy or coeliac disease, and results should be integrated with clinical history, other laboratory findings, and response to dietary intervention.

Frequently asked questions

IgE food testing diagnoses immediate, potentially life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis, urticaria, angioedema) and is recognised by allergy societies. IgG and IgA food testing investigates hypothesised delayed reactions and is used in functional medicine, but is not endorsed by mainstream allergy or gastroenterology guidelines as a diagnostic tool for food intolerance.

How to access the Array 10 test

The Array 10 reference page is free and open to all practitioners. Create a free practitioner account to see pricing, save tests to your list, and generate requisition forms. Verification takes 1–2 business days.

Create Free Account

About this page

Published: October 7, 2026

Last reviewed: October 7, 2026

References:

Stapel SO, et al. EAACI task force report: testing for IgG4 against foods is not recommended as a diagnostic tool. Allergy. (2008)
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) statement on IgG and IgG4 testing for food allergy. (2020)
Brostoff J, Gamlin L. Food allergies and food intolerance: the complete guide to their identification and treatment. (Landmark reference in functional medicine; verify edition and year.) (2000)
Atkinson W, et al. Food elimination based on IgG antibodies in irritable bowel syndrome: a randomised controlled trial. Gut. (2004)
Vojdani A, et al. The immunology of immediate and delayed hypersensitivity reaction to foods. (Verify citation and publication details.) (2020)

This content is for licensed healthcare practitioners only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical decisions should be based on the full clinical picture and not on any single test result.