Food allergens on a label

Fourteen items a manufacturer is obliged to declare. For each one: the names it appears under in an ingredients list, and the products where nobody expects it.

The reference

• Milk — Cow's milk proteins—casein and whey proteins—remain in the product after heating, so baked goods and prepared foods containing milk are just as significant as milk itself.
• Egg — Egg white is used as a binder and foaming agent, which is why it ends up in products where eggs are not expected—from pasta to clarified wine.
• Peanut — Peanuts are not nuts, but legumes, and they often appear in unexpected places: peanut oil is found where nuts are neither present nor expected.
• Tree nuts — Tree nuts are rarely labeled simply as "nuts" in ingredients; specific types are listed, or pastes and flours are used in confectionery.
• Fish — Fish protein enters products through sauces and additives, and it is most often identified not by the name, but by a small line in the ingredients list.
• Crustaceans — Shrimp, crab, langoustine, and lobster are in the same group, and a reaction to one often extends to the others.
• Mollusks — Mussels, oysters, squid, scallops, and snails are in the same group. They are usually listed directly in ingredients, but their extracts are not.
• Soy — Soy is the most common "hidden" component in processed foods: it is used as a protein, an emulsifier, and a sauce base.
• Gluten — Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It is almost never labeled as "gluten" in ingredients; instead, the grain or a product derived from it is listed.
• Sesame — Sesame became a mandatory allergen to disclose relatively recently, and in older recipes, it is often hidden under the name of oil or paste.
• Celery — Celery must be disclosed because it is included in almost all industrial spice blends and bouillon bases.
• Mustard — Mustard is included in ingredients not so much as a seasoning, but as an emulsifier in sauces and as part of marinades.
• Lupin — Lupin flour is used as a substitute for wheat and soy, so it is most often found in gluten-free baked goods.
• Sulfites — Sulfites are preservatives that must be disclosed at concentrations above 10 mg/kg. In ingredients, they are almost always listed by code rather than by name.

This reference is for information only and does not replace advice from your doctor.