Allergen legislation

All food suppliers must provide allergen information about their products. This applies to both prepackaged and unpackaged products. Prepackaged products are often those made in a factory. Unpackaged products are those sold in restaurants, craft businesses, or at markets.

Allergens in legislation 

There are 14 legal allergens which must be mentioned:

• Regardless of the concentration. There is no lower limit (except for sulfite 10 ppm). Because there is a legal zero limit for listing ingredients, threshold values used only for risk assessment of cross-contact with allergens.
• Regardless of origin, if an allergen is used in the recipe, it must be listed. This means it must be part of a compound ingredient, processing aid, ingredient, or raw material.
• Regardless of how the ingredient is processed. Heating (baking, frying) or removing protein from ingredients of allergenic origin is not relevant to the allergen declaration. There are only a few statutory exceptions.

Different types of allergen information

1. List of ingredients

Allergens must be listed in the ingredients list. This is regulated by European regulations, namely Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011

• The substances must be listed on the label with a clear reference to the name of the ingredient (from which the substances originate). So whey powder (milk) when whey powder has been used. 
• The allergenic ingredients must stand out in the ingredient statement by using a bold or italic font or capital letters.
• Some of the ingredients made from the fourteen legal substances are excepted of allergen labeling.

2. Toallergen summary or contains statement

According to an European Interpretation Document A separate summary of allergens is not permitted. This applies to allergens that are also listed in the ingredients list. Many consumers actually appreciate this separate listing, as it saves them from having to read through a long list of ingredients. In Europe, this summary is therefore often found on labels. Internationally, such a "contains statement" is, however, stipulated in regulations.

3. Free of Claims

"Gluten free" is the only European-regulated free-of-charge claim. There is no European regulation for the claim "Lactose-free". However, some Member States have national regulations. For other allergen claims such as "egg-free" or "soy-free", some countries have a explanation published.

4. Additional allergy warning

When novel foods are approved, a safety assessment is conducted. The allergenicity of a new ingredient on the European market is also assessed. Some novel ingredients cross-react with an existing allergen, such as mealworms and crustaceans. Their proteins are very similar, meaning the immune system can react to both animal species. If mealworms are used as an ingredient in a product, a separate warning statement must appear on the label to inform people with a crustacean allergy. Mandatory additional information can be found on the European list of approved novel foods. This is called a additional allergy warning .

5. Precautionary Allergen Labeling (PAL / 'may contain' labeling) 

Providing information about the possible presence of allergens due to cross-contamination is not regulated by European legislation. As of January 1, 2026, the following rules apply in the Netherlands: specific rules for reporting cross-contamination with allergens.

How should allergen information be provided?

For consumer products, allergen information must be included on the label. When purchasing through an online store, all legally required information must be displayed before clicking the order button.
For products destined for a subsequent link in the supply chain (B2B), the information may be provided on a label, but other methods are also possible. Within the raw material chain, information is often provided through product specifications or technical data sheets.

For answers to frequently asked questions about allergen legislation and labeling, view our question and answer page.

Legislation worldwide

When exporting to countries outside Europe, knowledge of allergen legislation is essential for creating the correct labels. This legislation often differs from European legislation. For example, the list of allergens varies, and the definition of certain allergens, such as the "nut" category, can also differ. Norms for free-from claims, such as gluten-free or lactose-free, are also not the same worldwide. Even within Europe, there are differences, including when and how a PAL is labeled (see also the detailed PAL publication). When you subscribe, we will send you the overview of allergen legislation (for prepackaged foods). This clearly lists all the details for various countries worldwide. Upon request, we will send the information we have available for a specific country as part of the subscription.

Order overview
legislation worldwide

Non-prepackaged products

In the hospitality industry, at craft businesses, and at markets, packaging with a label is often lacking. These products are legally classified as "non-prepackaged," even though packaging can be placed around the product. However, even here, consumers must be informed about the allergens in the product. 

Read more about allergen legislation
non-prepackaged products