A NORTH-EAST firm which helps people identify food allergies is claiming a world-first.

Yorktest Laboratories has developed an easy to use, quick screening test for food intolerance.

Costing £19.99, the process involves providing a pinprick of blood to the Yorktest laboratories, where it is tested against 113 common foods.

The results allow people to decide whether further investigation to identify specific foods are needed.

The innovative approach has the endorsement of charity Allergy UK.

Muriel Simmons, the chief executive of Allergy UK, said: "Almost half the people in the UK suffer from food intolerance, which produces a wide range of symptoms and often causes problems over many years.

"It is clear from the work that Yorktest has been doing that if the foods identified are eliminated from the diet, tremendous benefits can be achieved."

One sufferer who has benefited is Melanie Reay, 28, from Nottinghamshire.

Her favourite meal was spaghetti bolognaise, made with minced beef. And one of her favourite vegetables was peas.

She had no idea that beef and peas were responsible for five years of irritable bowel syndrome misery, including bloating and abdominal pain.

The breakthrough came when she sent off a pinprick of blood to Yorktest for a test.

The results revealed she was allergic to beef, peas and salmon, and she took them out of her diet.

She said: "I would use pork or soya mince instead of beef, and eat sprouts and beans instead of peas. I am much better now."