Allergen labelling for food businesses (2024)

FAQs

Allergen labelling for food businesses? ›

The law requires that food labels identify the food source of all major food allergens used to make the food. This requirement is met if the common or usual name of an ingredient already identifies that allergen's food source name (for example, buttermilk).

Food businesses need to tell customers if any food they provide contain any of the listed allergens as an ingredient. Consumers may be allergic or have intolerance to other ingredients, but only the 14 allergens are required to be declared as allergens by food law.

You may also decide to use an allergy advice statement on the product label to explain how allergens are emphasised within the ingredients list, for example: 'Allergy Advice: for allergens, see ingredients in bold' or 'Allergy Advice: for allergens including cereals contain gluten see ingredients in red'.

How do you write an allergy disclaimer? An allergy disclaimer should clearly state that your business cannot guarantee the absence of allergens. It should specify common allergens, like nuts or gluten, and advise customers to inform staff of any allergies. The disclaimer should be easily visible on menus and websites.

The law requires that food labels identify the food source of all major food allergens used to make the food.

Information for customers: describe how information about food allergens is shared with and provided to customers. Procedures: explain the procedures and precautions taken to ensure safety. This should include kitchen procedures, such as storage and preparation of food, service procedures, cleaning procedures etc.

Allergen declaration: Allergies to some food proteins (allergens) can be life-threatening. They must be listed on the food label if the food contains them, or if they were used when making the product. Warning statement: Only applies to some food.

Food manufacturers are required to list all ingredients in the food, unless ingredients are subject to an exemption from this requirement such as incidental additives.

What is an example of a food allergen statement? ›

The name of the food source of a major allergen must appear: In parentheses following the name of the ingredient. Immediately after or next to the list of ingredients in a "contains" statement. Example: "Contains Wheat, Milk, and Soy."

You can provide allergen information verbally. If you do so, you must place a notice on display that instructs customers to speak to a member of staff if they require allergen information - for example, 'Allergies and intolerance: please speak to a member of staff if you require information about our ingredients'.

Most food allergies are caused by peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, sesame seeds, fish and shellfish, soy, lupin and wheat. These must be declared on the food label, whenever they are present in food as ingredients (or as components of food additives or processing aids), however small the amounts present.

Under section 403 of the FD&C Act (21 USC § 343), every food label must contain the name of the food, a statement of the net quantity of contents (typically net weight), and the name and address of the manufacturer or distributor.

General Labelling Requirements

The label must not contain Information about the food that could be deemed false, misleading, deceptive, or otherwise create an erroneous impression regarding the product. The label must be affixed to the container so that it would not easily be separated from the container.

Nutrition labels must display the amount of energy (calories and kilojoules) and the amount of fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins and salt (all expressed in grams) present in 100g (or 100 ml) of the food.

Goals of a HACCP allergen control program

The main goal of an effective allergen program is to prevent any allergen from contaminating products that are not intended to contain them and inform your consumers if any of your products may contain allergens.

Designated allergen free ingredients should be stored separately from allergen free foods due to risk of cross contamination (e.g. wheat free flour stored separately to wheat-based flour).

Food labels are required to clearly list whether the food products contain any common food allergens. Read food labels carefully to avoid the most common sources of food allergens: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat.

A food allergy will generally be considered a disability. Per the definition of disability in the ADA, a food allergy does not need to be life-threatening or cause anaphylaxis in order to be considered a disability.