The 14 allergens

Shellfish (mussels, oysters, scallops, razor clams, …), squid and snails (escargots, periwinkles, whelks, cockles), including derivatives.

Bouillabaisse, calamari, frutti di mare, paella, pulpo, tapas, …

Stalk celery, leaf celery, celeriac and celery seed, as well as products based on celery (such as flavourings).

Stock, ready meals, marinades, herbed cheese, salads, spice blends, herb butter, celery salt, soups, soup vegetables, stews, deli meats, …

Sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum) and sesame-based products (such as sesame oil). Sesame allergy is increasing as sesame becomes more widely used in our diets.

Falafel, hummus, energy bars, bread, gomashio, spice blends, Asian dishes, tahini, crackers, …

White/yellow mustard (Sinapsis alba), brown/oriental mustard (Brassica juncea), black mustard (Brassica nigra) and mustard-based products (mustard paste, mustard oil, …).

Vinegar, chutney, pickled vegetables, cheese, ketchup, marinade, mayonnaise, piccalilli, sauces, salad dressings, spice blends, sausages, …

Rich in protein and phytosterols — comparable to soy and often used as a soy substitute. People with a peanut allergy frequently react to lupin too.

Bakery products (bread, pastries, biscuits), pasta, meat substitutes, breaded products, …

Peanuts (actually a legume, not a nut) and peanut-based products (peanut oil, protein hydrolysate, …). One of the strongest known allergens — can trigger life-threatening anaphylactic reactions.

Bar snacks, chili con carne, breakfast cereals, peanut butter, sambal, satay, sauces, seroendeng, …

Eggs from all farmed birds (chicken, quail, goose, …), including egg powder, lysozyme (E1105) and albumin. Egg allergy — together with milk and peanut — is the most common in the Western world.

Mashed potato, eggnog, batter, biscuits, broths, donuts, mayonnaise, pasta, pâté, quiche, meringues, surimi, processed deli meats, …

Segmented body with a hard shell — gambas, prawns, crab, lobster, scampi, … The responsible protein (tropomyosin) is also found in mussels and oysters: 75% chance of cross-reaction.

Bouillabaisse, prawn crackers, sambal, surimi, sushi, …

Found in wheat (incl. spelt and khorasan wheat), rye, barley, oats, hybrid varieties and products based on gluten-containing cereals.

Pasta, bread, breadcrumbs, breakfast cereals, biscuits, …

Exemptions: wheat-based glucose syrup (incl. dextrose), wheat-based maltodextrins, cereals used to make alcoholic distillates (gin, vodka, whisky).

The responsible protein is parvalbumin, present in most fish species. High histamine levels (especially in canned tuna) can also trigger reactions.

Fish gelatine, caviar, vitamin A (retinol), vitamin D (calciferol), surimi (often white fish), aspic, Worcestershire sauce, kibbeling, rollmops, sushi, … Note: E626–E635 may be derived from sardines.

Exemption: fish gelatine or isinglass used as a carrier for vitamins/flavourings, or as a fining agent in beer, cider and wine — no labelling required.

Hard-shelled tree fruits: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, and nut-based products. Coconut, nutmeg, peanut and pine nuts are not classed as nuts.

Candy bars, chocolate spread (hazelnut), crackers, curries and sambal (macadamia), marzipan (almond), muesli, nougat, vegetarian meat substitutes, Worcestershire sauce, …

Legume (Glycine max) whose beans are processed into oil, lecithin (E322) or flour, and a wide range of derivatives.

Stock cubes, chocolate, ice cream, mayonnaise, breakfast cereals, seitan, snacks, tofu, meat substitutes, sausages, …

Exemptions: fully refined soybean oil and fat (incl. E479b), natural mixed tocopherols (E306), phytosterols and plant stanol esters from vegetable soy oils.

Milk and milk-based products, including lactose. Not just cow's milk but also goat, sheep and mare milk. Products labelled "cheese", "cream", "butter" or "yoghurt" are considered self-evident.

Mashed potato, baking and frying products, broth, bread, chocolate, cheese, mayonnaise, breakfast products, pasta, ragout, roux, whipped cream, deli meats, whey powder, mozzarella, …

Exemptions: whey used to make alcoholic distillates and lactitol (sweetener E966, derived from lactose).

Disclosure required at concentrations above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/l, expressed as total SO₂. Occurs naturally (mushrooms, grapes) but also as a food additive (E220–E228), mainly used as a preservative.

Potato products, flavourings, additives, brandy, dried fruit/vegetables, candied fruits, gelatine, glucose syrup, biscuits, liqueurs, pâté, crustaceans, wine, sausages, tomato purée, canned products, draught beer, …