Appraisal of skin tests with food extracts for diagnosis of food hypersensitivity.

Seventy-six children aged 5 months to 15 years who exhibited a net weal of 3.0 mm or greater to a puncture skin test with one or more of fourteen foods were subjected to double-blind food challenge. Confirmed reactions to double-blind food challenge were found to occur only with peanut, milk, egg and soybean. Puncture skin tests with 1:20 w/v concentration of food extracts identified all subjects who exhibited an adverse reaction during the double-blind food challenge. Performance of intradermal skin tests did not identify any additional subjects who reacted clinically to double-blind food challenge.