Food Allergies 

What You Need to Know

FOODFACTS

From the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Safety ■ Health ■ Science ■ Nutrition February 2007

FDA’s Role:

New Labeling for 2006

To help Americans avoid the health risks posed by 

food allergens, Congress passed the Food Allergen 

Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004. 

The new law applies to all foods regulated by FDA, 

both domestic and imported, that are labeled on or 

after January 1, 2006. (FDA regulates all foods 

except meat, poultry, and certain egg products.)

• Before the new law, the labels of foods made from 

two or more ingredients were required to list all 

ingredients by their common, or usual, names. 

The names of some ingredients, however, do not 

clearly identify their source. 

• Now, the labels required by the new law must 

clearly identify the source of all ingredients that 

are — or are derived from — the eight most 

common food allergens. 

As a result, food labels will help allergic consumers 

to identify offending foods or ingredients so they can 

more easily avoid them.

About Foods Labeled Before January 1, 2006

Food products labeled before January 1, 2006 were 

not required to be re-labeled under the new law. 

However, these foods may still be on store shelves 

— so be sure to take that into consideration while 

shopping, and always use special care when 

reading labels. 

1

Each year, millions of Americans have allergic reactions 

to food. Although most food allergies cause relatively mild and minor symptoms, 

some food allergies can cause severe reactions, and may even be life-threatening. 

There is no cure for food allergies. Strict avoidance of food allergens — and 

early recognition and management of allergic reactions to food — are important 

measures to prevent serious health consequences.

What Are Major Food Allergens?

While more than 160 foods can cause allergic reactions in people 

with food allergies, the new law identifies the eight most common 

allergenic foods. These foods account for 90 percent of food 

allergic reactions, and are the food sources from which many other 

ingredients are derived.

The eight foods identified by the law are:

1. Milk

2. Eggs

3. Fish (e.g., bass, flounder, cod)

4. Crustacean shellfish (e.g., crab, lobster, shrimp)

5. Tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans)

6. Peanuts

7. Wheat

8. Soybeans

These eight foods, and any ingredient that contains protein 

derived from one or more of them, are designated as “major food 

allergens” by the new law.

How Major Food Allergens Are Listed

The new law requires that food labels identify the food source of 

all major food allergens. Unless the food source of a major food 

allergen is part of the ingredient’s common or usual name (or is 

already identified in the ingredient list), it must be included in 

one of two ways. 

The name of the food source of a major food allergen must appear: 

1. In parentheses following the name of the ingredient. 

Examples: “lecithin (soy),” “flour (wheat),” and “whey (milk)”

 — OR —

2. Immediately after or next to the list of ingredients in a 

“contains” statement. 

Example: “Contains Wheat, Milk, and Soy.”
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FOODFACTS ■ ■ ■ 

Safety ■ Health ■ Science ■ Nutrition February 2007 

Following ingestion of a food allergen(s), a person with food allergies can 

experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. 

This can lead to: 

• constricted airways in the lungs

• severe lowering of blood pressure and shock (“anaphylactic shock”)

• suffocation by swelling of the throat

Each year in the U.S., it is estimated that anaphylaxis to food results in:

• 30,000 emergency room visits

• 2,000 hospitalizations 

• 150 deaths

Prompt administration of epinephrine by autoinjector (e.g., Epi-pen) 

during early symptoms of anaphylaxis may help prevent these serious 

consequences. 

The Hard Facts:

Severe Food Allergies Can Be Life-Threatening

Initially mild symptoms that occur 

after ingesting a food allergen are not 

always a measure of mild severity. 

In fact, if not treated promptly, these 

symptoms can become more serious 

in a very short amount of time, and 

could lead to anaphylaxis. See The 

Hard Facts at left. 

• Hives

• Flushed skin or rash

• Tingling or itchy sensation 

in the mouth

• Face, tongue, or lip swelling

• Vomiting and/or diarrhea

• Abdominal cramps

• Coughing or wheezing

• Dizziness and/or 

lightheadedness

• Swelling of the throat 

and vocal cords

• Difficulty breathing

• Loss of consciousness

The appearance of symptoms (see Know the 

Symptoms at right) after eating food may be a 

sign of a food allergy. The food(s) that caused 

these symptoms should be avoided, and the 

affected person, should contact a doctor or 

health care provider for appropriate testing 

and evaluation.

• Persons found to have a food allergy should 

be taught to read labels and avoid the 

offending foods. They should also be taught, 

in case of accidental ingestion, to recognize 

the early symptoms of an allergic reaction, 

and be properly educated on — and armed 

with — appropriate treatment measures. 

• Persons with a known food allergy who 

begin experiencing symptoms while, 

or after, eating a food should initiate 

treatment immediately, and go to a nearby 

emergency room if symptoms progress.

Know the Symptoms

Symptoms of food allergies typically appear from within a few 

minutes to two hours after a person has eaten the food to which he 

or she is allergic. 

Allergic reactions can include:

About Other Allergens 

Persons may still be allergic to — and have serious reactions

to — foods other than the eight foods identified identified by the new 

law. So, always be sure to read the food label’s ingredient list

carefully to avoid the food allergens in question. 

Food Allergies: What to Do If Symptoms Occur

For more information on food allergies, visit

<www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/alrgqa.html>

Allergy Alert:

Mild Symptoms Can 

Become More Severe

For more information contact: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Food Information 

Line 1-888-SAFEFOOD (toll free), 10 AM to 4 PM ET, Monday through Friday. Or visit the FDA Web site at www.cfsan.fda.gov.