Allergens

Allergens are foods, or proteins from foods, that can set off allergic reactions in sensitive people. U.S. law names nine major food allergens, including milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts and sesame, that must be declared on FDA-regulated food labels.

  • Food safety
  • Allergens & labeling

In U.S. food law, a major food allergen is one of nine foods or food groups, or any ingredient that contains protein from one of them: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) named the first eight, and the FASTER Act added sesame starting January 1, 2023. FDA’s January 2025 guidance widened “milk” to cover goat, sheep and other ruminant milk and “eggs” to cover duck, quail and other fowl eggs, while shortening the tree nut list. Highly refined oils made from these foods are exempt.

Allergic reactions can begin within minutes or a few hours and range from hives or an itchy mouth to anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that can narrow the airways and send blood pressure plunging. FDA cautions that a mild reaction in the past does not mean the allergy is mild. CDC survey data for 2024 put food allergy at 6.7% of U.S. adults and 5.3% of children. FDA has not set or endorsed any safe threshold level, so accurate labels and careful kitchens are the main protection.

Key facts

Major U.S. food allergens
9 (sesame added Jan. 1, 2023)
U.S. adults with food allergy (2024)
6.7%
U.S. children with food allergy (2024)
5.3%
FDA allergen threshold levels
None established or endorsed (as of 2026)

In a bakery or commercial kitchen

  • Keep an allergen matrix showing which of the nine major allergens each product contains, including fillings, toppings and decorations
  • Declare each allergen by its source, either in parentheses after the ingredient, such as “whey (milk)”, or in a “Contains” statement
  • Name the animal source for goat milk, duck eggs and similar ingredients, updating labels as soon as practicable
  • Write down how allergen ingredients are stored, scooped and cleaned up so they cannot reach other products
  • Remember FDA allergen labeling does not cover poultry, most meats, certain egg products or most alcoholic beverages, which other agencies regulate

For home and cottage bakers

  • Read every ingredient label before baking for someone with food allergies, even for brands you buy often
  • Ask guests about allergies ahead of time and share the full recipe, including frosting, sprinkles and other decorations
  • Learn the early signs of a reaction; if one happens, stop serving the food and get medical help right away

Related entries

Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 17, 2026.

  1. Food Allergies: What You Need to Know, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  2. Frequently Asked Questions: Food Allergen Labeling Guidance for Industry, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  3. Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  4. Almost a Third of U.S. Adults and Children Have at Least One Allergy, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics
  5. Virtual Public Meeting and Listening Session on Food Allergen Thresholds and Their Potential Applications - 02/18/2026, U.S. Food and Drug Administration