Practical, sourced guides to reading labels and spotting hidden allergens. Every claim links to an authoritative source. Not medical advice.
Twelve nuts must be declared on US labels, and tree nuts hide in pesto, marzipan, mortadella and barbecue sauce. Coconut was dropped from the FDA list in December 2024. A sourced guide.
Soy hides as lecithin, TVP, tofu, edamame, miso and hydrolysed soy protein. Soy lecithin and refined soybean oil are usually tolerated, and lentils are not soy. A sourced guide to soy allergy.
Molluscs are not declarable in the US but are in the UK and EU. Shellfish hides in oyster sauce, bouillabaisse, surimi and glucosamine. The iodine and contrast dye link is a myth. A sourced guide.
Fish hides in Worcestershire sauce, Caesar dressing, barbecue sauce, kimchi and imitation crab. Fish allergy is not shellfish allergy, and it often starts in adulthood. A sourced guide.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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.