An individual will need to remain under medical observation for a short period of time following the food challenge test to ensure that no allergic reactions take place. Physicians will consider a number of factors, including the timing and severity of the patient’s previous reactions, when deciding on an appropriate amount of time for observation following the completion of a food challenge test. Once the physician is convinced that a reaction will not occur as a result of the food challenges, the patient will usually be allowed to go home. It is a good idea that patients have someone to drive them home in case a strong allergic reaction occurs during testing.

Once at home, an individual may occasionally have a late-phase allergic reaction to the earlier testing. This type of reaction can occur several hours after exposure to an allergen occurs. Having this type of late-phase reaction would indicate a positive test response to an allergen – provided nothing had been eaten since the challenge testing.

If a person has no reaction to the food challenge, the physician will often bring the patient back in to confirm the negative results with an open challenge. This type of test involves the patient knowingly consuming a normal serving of the previously suspected food while under a physician’s observation. This challenge will conclusively determine whether a given food can be safely eaten. After successfully passing an open challenge, patients are often directed to reintroduce the food in question to their normal diet, as desired.

If a patient tests positive for a food allergy, follow-up visits with the physician are usually scheduled to discuss removing the problem food from the patient’s diet. Because exposure to a food allergen can be dangerous or even deadly, it is very important that people continually avoid any foods to which they are allergic.