Guide

Allergy guides

Practical, sourced guides to reading labels and spotting hidden allergens. Every claim links to an authoritative source. Not medical advice.

Oral allergy syndrome: why raw apple itches but cooked is fine

Pollen food allergy syndrome (oral allergy syndrome) makes raw fruits, nuts and vegetables itch the mouth in people with hay fever. A sourced guide to what it is.

Hidden sources of sesame, the newest major allergen

Sesame became the 9th US major allergen in 2023, but it still hides as tahini, halva and in 'spices'. A sourced guide to spotting sesame on a label.

Food allergies at school and camp: a parent's prep checklist

How to prepare a child with food allergies for school or camp: emergency care plans, 504 plans, epinephrine, and giving staff the info they need. A sourced guide.

What "may contain" really means on a food label

"May contain", "made in a facility that also processes" and similar warnings are voluntary, unregulated, and not a measure of risk. A sourced guide to precautionary allergen labels.

Hidden sources of wheat (and why it isn't the same as gluten)

Wheat hides as semolina, durum, spelt, seitan and hydrolysed wheat protein, and in soy sauce and starch. Wheat allergy is not celiac disease. A sourced guide.

Hidden sources of soy, and what about soy lecithin?

Soy hides as lecithin, TVP, tofu, edamame, miso and hydrolysed soy protein. Refined soybean oil and soy lecithin are usually tolerated. A sourced guide to soy allergy.

Hidden sources of peanut, and the truth about peanut oil

Peanut hides in sauces, baked goods and 'arachis oil'. Highly refined peanut oil is usually tolerated, cold-pressed is not. A sourced guide for peanut allergy.

Hidden sources of milk: how dairy hides on ingredient labels

Milk hides under dozens of names like casein, whey and caseinate, and turns up in tuna, deli meats and protein drinks. A sourced guide to spotting dairy on a label.

Hidden sources of egg: the label names to know

Egg hides on labels as albumin, ovalbumin, ovomucoid, lysozyme and more, and turns up in dressings, meatballs and egg-washed bread. A sourced guide to spotting egg.