The 14 allergens (UK) and the top 9 (US): a quick reference

Two lists, one purpose: labels

Food allergy lists can look like a ranking of “dangerous foods”, but they’re really labeling rules: the ingredients a food business must tell you about.

• In the US, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) named 8 major food allergens. The FASTER Act made sesame the 9th, on labels from January 1, 2023 (FDA).
• In the UK, food businesses must tell you about 14 allergens if they’re an ingredient (GOV.UK, Food Standards Agency).

Neither list covers every food that can cause allergy. The FDA says more than 160 foods have been identified as causing food allergies, and the NHS names peas and chickpeas among common ones. A baby can be allergic to any food.

The lists side by side

Allergen	US top 9	UK 14
Celery	No	Yes
Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats)	Wheat only	Yes
Crustaceans (shrimp or prawns, crab, lobster)	Yes	Yes
Eggs	Yes	Yes
Fish	Yes	Yes
Lupin	No	Yes
Milk	Yes	Yes
Molluscs (such as squid, mussels, cockles, snails)	No	Yes
Mustard	No	Yes
Peanuts	Yes	Yes
Sesame	Yes (since 2023)	Yes
Soy	Yes	Yes
Sulphites (above 10 mg per kg or per litre)	No (but labeled at 10 ppm or more)	Yes
Tree nuts	Yes	Yes (“nuts”)

Sources: FDA (US); GOV.UK allergen labelling (UK).

A few details behind the table:

• Shellfish. The US list covers crustacean shellfish only, so clams, mussels and scallops may not be flagged on a US label. The UK lists crustaceans and molluscs separately. See shellfish allergy.
• Milk and eggs. Since its January 2025 guidance, the FDA counts milk from goats, sheep and other ruminants, and eggs from ducks, geese, quail and other birds, under milk and eggs.
• Tree nuts. The UK list names tree nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamias, and lists peanuts separately (FSA). The FDA’s 2025 guidance removed several items, including coconut, from its own tree nut list. See tree nut allergy and coconut.
• Gluten. The UK list includes all cereals containing gluten; the US list has wheat. The FDA monitors gluten separately and, in some cases, requires specific labeling. See wheat allergy and celiac disease.

Where to read about each one

• Milk: cow’s milk allergy, yogurt, cheese
• Egg: egg allergy, egg
• Peanut: peanut introduction, peanut butter
• Tree nuts: tree nut allergy, almond butter, cashews
• Sesame: sesame allergy, tahini
• Soy: soy allergy, tofu
• Wheat and gluten: wheat allergy, pasta
• Fish: fish allergy, salmon, cod
• Crustaceans and molluscs: shellfish allergy, shrimp, mussels
• Celery: celery

For the safe first form of each, see the allergens page.

Celery, mustard and lupin

These are on the UK list but not the US one. The NHS lists celery and mustard among foods that can trigger allergic reactions in babies, to introduce one at a time like the others. Lupin flour turns up in some baked goods, the NHS notes. If your child reacts to any of them, stop the food and see your doctor, as with any allergen.

Sulphites: on the list, but usually not a true allergy

Sulphites (sulphur dioxide and related preservatives) aren’t a food protein like milk or peanut. They’re on the UK list because they can cause reactions in sensitive people, and must be labeled above 10 mg per kg or per litre (GOV.UK).

• Often not a true allergy. ASCIA, the Australian allergy society, says sulphites can cause intolerances that aren’t allergies but can be confused with them. The most common reaction is wheezing, chest tightness and cough in some people with asthma (about 5% to 10% of people with asthma). Anaphylaxis is very rare, and many suspected cases turned out to have another cause.
• There’s no reliable skin or blood test for sulphite reactions; a supervised food challenge may be used (ASCIA).
• Where you’ll see them. The NHS says sulphur dioxide is sometimes found in dried fruits and fruit juices. Juice isn’t recommended for babies: see juice for babies. For safe ways to serve dried fruit, see raisins.
• In the US, sulfites aren’t one of the 9 major allergens, but the FDA requires them to be declared on the label when a food has 10 parts per million or more (the same as the UK’s 10 mg per kg), because of reactions such as asthma in sensitive people (FDA).

How labels show allergens

US labels (FDA):

• The allergen’s food source must appear either in brackets after the ingredient, like “whey (milk)” or “flour (wheat)”, or in a “Contains” statement next to the ingredients list, like “Contains wheat, milk, and soy”.
• The type of tree nut, the species of fish and the species of crustacean must be named. Milk from another animal and eggs from another bird should name that animal or bird too, such as “goat milk” or “duck eggs” (FDA, 2025 guidance).
• These rules don’t cover food wrapped after you order it, such as a deli sandwich.

UK labels (GOV.UK):

• On prepacked food, the 14 allergens must be emphasized in the ingredients list, for example in bold, italics or a different color.
• For loose food, like bakery rolls or deli counters, the business must tell you about any of the 14 allergens, verbally or in writing.

“May contain” labels are voluntary in both countries (FDA, GOV.UK). A food without one isn’t a guarantee. If your child has a diagnosed allergy, ask your allergist how to treat them.

These lists aren’t a feeding order

The lists tell you what’s on a label, not when to offer a food. For most babies, the advice is to introduce common allergens from around 6 months, one at a time, and keep them in the diet (NHS). If your baby has eczema or a food allergy, talk to your doctor first. See how to introduce allergens and keeping allergens in the diet.

Signs of a reaction

Signs of anaphylaxis are trouble breathing, wheezing or a cough that won’t stop, swelling of the tongue or throat, lips or mouth that suddenly swell, a hoarse cry, turning pale or floppy, becoming very sleepy or unresponsive, or signs in more than one part of the body at once. If you see any of these and your baby has an epinephrine (adrenaline) auto-injector, use it right away, then call for an ambulance. Call 911.Call 999.Call your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia). If you don’t have an auto-injector, call straight away. If you’re alone with your baby, use the auto-injector first if they have one, then call on speaker. Don’t leave your baby to find a phone. Keep your baby lying down, never standing or walking (on their side if they’re vomiting, head and shoulders a little raised if breathing is hard). See signs of anaphylaxis.

For a single mild sign, such as a few hives, stop the food and call your pediatrician or GP before offering it again.

Where US and UK advice differs

• The number. The US labels 9 major allergens; the UK labels 14, adding celery, lupin, molluscs, mustard and sulphites, and counting all cereals containing gluten rather than wheat alone.
• How they’re shown. US labels use brackets or a “Contains” statement; UK labels emphasize allergens inside the ingredients list.
• Who checks first. NIAID’s US peanut guidelines ask families to talk to their doctor before peanut if a baby has severe eczema or egg allergy. The NHS asks you to talk to your GP or health visitor first if your baby has eczema or a food allergy, or there’s a family history of food allergy, eczema, asthma or hay fever.