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Food Labels
Understanding Food Labels for Food Allergies
The current Food Standards Code requires that the most common
allergens, peanuts, tree nuts (e.g. cashews, almonds, walnuts), Allergenic ingredients & Tree nuts
shellfish, fish, cow’s milk, eggs, sesame and soybean must be derivatives declared in bold specifically
declared on the food label if they are present in a food, even if each time they appear identified
present in only small amounts. Whilst gluten (not wheat) must also
be declared on the label, wheat allergic individuals need to be
careful to avoid all wheat ingredients (not just gluten).
The Food Standards Code also requires a warning statement on Ingredients: Water, vegetable oil, vinegar, cane sugar,
foods where people may be unaware of a severe health risk posed tomato paste (5.0%), salt, parmesan cheese (2.0%),
by an allergen in a food. An example of this is food containing the egg yolk, maize thickener (1412), almonds, red
bee product royal jelly, which may cause severe allergic reactions, capsicum, soybean oil, garlic (1.0%), vegetable gum
particularly in asthma and allergy sufferers. (415), spice, herbs, wheat cornflour, flavour (wheat
maltodextrin, sesame, milk), antioxidant (320)
To the right is an example of how food allergens are often declared
on a food label. Contains milk, egg, almonds, soy, wheat and
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sesame
What about precautionary statements?
Some labels include “may contain...” statements for allergens (e.g.
“may contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts”). Manufacturers
may add these precautionary statements to food labels if there
may be traces of the allergen present. This can be due, for
example, to shared equipment or cross contamination in the
handling or storage of ingredients. It is important to note that these
Summary statement listing all Gluten source
prcautionary statements are voluntary.
allergenic ingredients in the (grain source)
product. Statement should qualified in
Some individuals are extremely sensitive and even trace amounts can start with ‘contains…’ ingredient list
cause allergic reactions. Therefore, schools and child care services
should not give students, known to be allergic to a food allergen, a
product that contains a precautionary statement for that allergen, unless
permission has been given by the parent/guardian for that food.
The following information has been provided by
Fact Sheet
Anaphylaxis Australia Inc. www.allergyfacts.org.au
Please note: This is not a complete or Allergic to egg Allergic to soy
comprehensive list of ingredients to avoid but Albumen, Apovitellin, Avidin, Binder, Dried eggs, Bean curd, Endamame, Hydrolysed plant protein,
is intended as a helpful aid. It is NOT meant Egg, Egg solids, Egg substitutes (some), Egg Hydrolysed soy protein, Hydrolysed vegetable
to replace medical advice. white, Egg white solids, Egg yolk, Flovoproteins, protein, Miso, Natto, Okara, Soja, Soy, Soya,
Glaze (on baked goods), Globulin, Imitation Soyabean, Soybean, Tamri, Tempeh, Textured
egg product, Livetin, Lysozyme, Meringue vegetable protein, Tofu, Yuba.
Ingredients to avoid mix, Ovalbumin, Ovglycoprotein, Ovomucoid,
if you are: Ovomuxiod, Powdered egg. Allergic to wheat
Bran, Breadcrumbs, Bulgar, Couscous, Cracker
Allergic to peanut Allergic to sesame meal, Farina, Flour , Gluten, Kamut, Matzoh,
s
Arachis oil, Beer nuts, Goober nuts, Benne, Benniseed, Gingelly seeds, Sesame, Pasta, Seitan, Semolina, Spelt, Tabouleh,
Sesame seed, Sesarmol, Sesomolina, Sim sim, Triticale, Wheat , Whole wheat berries.
v
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Ghee, Hydrolysed casein, Hydrolysed whey,
Allergic to tree nuts
Immitation milk, Lactalbumin, Lactalbumin
Almonds, Artificial nuts, Brazil nuts, Carponata,
phosphate, Lacto acidophilus, Magnesium
Cashews, Gianduja (a nut mix), Hazelnuts/
caseinate, Malted milk, Milk , Nougat, Skim
n
www.health.wa.gov.au/anaphylaxis
Whitener, Yoghurt.
Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology
Pine nuts are also known as: pinyon, pignoli,
l
Any product containing the word milk from and Allergy (ASCIA)
pignollia, pinon and pignon. Any food www.allergy.org.au
an animal source must be avoided (e.g.
containing nut or nut derivatives must be Anaphylaxis Australia
goat milk). NB: Lactose does not normally www.allergyfacts.org.au
avoided (e.g. nut butters, nut meal, nut oil).
contain the protein that causes reactions, Food Standards Australia New Zealand
HP11289 SEP’10 CK3