FDA allergen labeling requirements
The 9 major food allergens FDA requires on the label, why sesame joined in 2023, and how to declare each one correctly.
The 9 major food allergens
FDA requires the source of nine major food allergens to be declared: milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. Sesame became the ninth major allergen under the FASTER Act, effective January 1, 2023, so labels finalized before then may still need to be brought up to date.
Two ways to declare the source
The food source of each major allergen must appear either in parentheses after the ingredient name in the ingredient list, or in a separate "Contains" statement placed immediately after or next to the ingredient list — or both. Whichever route you use, the plain-English source name (for example "milk" or "wheat") has to be shown.
What is excluded, and what is not
Highly refined oils derived from a major allergen, and ingredients derived from those oils, are excluded from the declaration. Everything else that comes from a major allergen still has to be named at its source.
"May contain" is not a substitute
Cross-contact advisory statements such as "may contain" are voluntary and never replace declaring an allergen that is actually an ingredient. If it is in the recipe, it is declared. LabelYog reads the allergens from your recipe, emphasizes them in the ingredient list and builds the "Contains" line — LabelYog builds it from your recipe.
At a glance
- All 9 major allergens checked, including sesame
- Each source named in the ingredient list or a "Contains" line
- Plain-English source names, not just technical names
- Refined-oil exclusions applied correctly
- No allergen ingredient hidden behind a "may contain" advisory
Questions
How many major food allergens does FDA require?
Nine: milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame.
When did sesame become a major allergen?
Sesame became the ninth major allergen under the FASTER Act, effective January 1, 2023.
Do I need a "Contains" statement?
You can declare the source in parentheses in the ingredient list, in a separate "Contains" statement, or both — one of those routes is required.
Does "may contain" cover an allergen I use as an ingredient?
No. Advisory statements are voluntary and never replace declaring an allergen that is an ingredient in the recipe.
Can LabelYog handle allergen declarations for me?
Yes. Enter the recipe once and LabelYog names the allergen sources and builds the "Contains" line in the wording FDA expects.
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