Allergen labeling for small batch food

Allergen rules apply even when you are exempt from the Nutrition Facts panel. This is a summary, not legal advice.

The nine major allergens

Milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy and sesame. Sesame became the ninth on January 1, 2023.

Name the specific type

For tree nuts, fish and crustacean shellfish, the label must say which one: almonds, pecans or walnuts; salmon or cod; shrimp or crab. The broad words "tree nuts", "fish" or "shellfish" alone are not enough.

Two ways to declare

• A Contains line right after or next to the ingredient list: "Contains: Wheat, Sesame".
• In the ingredient list itself, in parentheses: "Tahini paste (sesame, canola oil)".

Common surprises

• Flour in a recipe usually means wheat, unless it is a different grain, like rice flour.
• Butter, cream, whey and cheese are milk. Coconut milk is not on the major list as milk.
• Sesame can hide in tahini, some spice blends and some breads.

BatchFacts builds the Contains line from your ingredient names. It cannot see branded or unusual ingredients, so read your own labels.

Source: FDA, FASTER Act sesame guidance and the FDA allergen labeling pages. Verify against the current FDA pages.