Food allergies and other types of food hypersensitivities affect millions of Americans and their families. Food allergies occur when the body's immune system reacts to certain proteins in food.

For purposes of the definition of a “major food allergen” under section 201(qq) of the FD&C Act and for purposes of complying with the food allergen labeling requirements of the FD&C Act, FDA ...

For people with food allergies, food allergen avoidance is a critical part of preventing allergic reactions. Understanding how to read a food label is necessary to effectively avoid any food to which one might be allergic.

On January 6, 2025, FDA published the food allergen labeling-related final guidance document, Questions and Answers Regarding Food Allergens, Including the Food Allergen Labeling Requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Edition 5).

If you’re allergic to one of the nine major food allergens, learn to look for your allergen on the food label.

This Act requires the presence of the eight major food allergens (which cause approximately 90% of hypersensitivity reactions to foods) in any packaged food to be declared using a name that is recognizable to consumers.

Nov 2, 2022 · If you have food allergies—especially common allergies like peanuts and milk—you probably have noticed that food labels specifically list whether the foods in question contain any allergens. That's because a law known as the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) requires manufacturers to clearly list the eight ...

Managing life with a food allergy means reading packaged food labels—every time you purchase that food. The only way to prevent a food-allergy reaction is to avoid the problem food. But you can’t know whether a food contains an allergen simply by looking at it.

May 4, 2023 · More than 90% of food allergy reactions involve nine foods like milks, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, wheat, soybeans and sesame.

Sep 15, 2023 · FALCPA mandates clear allergen labeling on packaged food products. Two primary options for allergen declaration: Directly in the Ingredient List. Separate “Contains” Statement. Nine major allergens to be aware of, including the recently added sesame. Each allergen has various synonyms, species, and types.