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Helpful information from your Stop & Shop registered dietitians How to prevent allergic reactions

If you or a loved one has food allergies, learning to read food labels to successfully avoid allergens is critically important. By law, packaged food manufacturers are required to note when any of the top eight food allergens are an intended ingredient in a product. The law does not, however, require these allergens to be labeled on poultry, fresh meats, liquid/frozen/dehydrated eggs and most alcoholic beverages, though manufacturers often choose to list them voluntarily.

Milk Did you know? Eggs Soy While any food has the Peanuts potential to cause an allergic reaction in people with food allergies, the top eight allergens (milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish and crustacean shellfish) account for 90% of allergic reactions in Crustacean Fish the U.S. shellfish Tree nuts Wheat

If fish or shellfish is an ingredient, the specific type must be identified on the label. Examples of fish include salmon, tuna, haddock and sardines, among others. Examples of crustacean shellfish include lobster, crab and shrimp. (Note: Molluscan shellfish are not considered a major allergen, and foods such as clams, scallops, mussels and oysters are not required to be labeled.)

If tree nuts are an ingredient, the specific type—such as cashews, walnuts, almonds or pecans—must be included on the label.

All about food allergies How to read food labels for allergen information

The only way to prevent a serious allergic reaction is to avoid the food allergen altogether. It is important to read every food label, every time—even if it is a product you have purchased before. Manufacturers may change ingredients at any time without warning. Also, similar products made by different manufacturers may not have the same ingredients, so it is necessary to check each food label for food allergens when choosing a new brand. If you have ingredient questions, contact the manufacturer before purchasing or consuming the product.

How can you find the food allergens on the label? Food labels must have the common name of a major food allergen in English on the product. Manufacturers can list major food allergens in three ways:

INGREDIENTS: WATER, SOYBEANS, WHEAT, SALT,  In the ingredient list, using LACTIC ACID, SODIUM BENZOATE: LESS THAN the allergen’s common name 1/10 OF 1% AS A PRESERVATIVE.

In the ingredient list in parentheses, when the INGREDIENTS: SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE [SUGAR, ingredient is not the common CHOCOLATE, COCOA BUTTER, MILK FAT, form of the allergen, such as LECITHIN (SOY), NATURAL FLAVOR, MILK]. whey (milk) or albumin (egg)

INGREDIENTS: ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR (BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA, SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE), CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: SOYBEAN OIL, In a “Contains” statement DEXTROSE, BUTTERMILK, EGG YOLK, SALT, below the list of ingredients CORNSTARCH, EGG WHITE.

WARNINGS: DO NOT CONSUME/EAT RAW BATTER. CONTAINS: WHEAT, MILK, EGG. PRODUCED IN FACILITY THAT ALSO PROCESSES SOY, PEANUTS, TREE NUT (WALNUTS).

Warning statements about potential and unintentional cross-contact with food allergens during processing may be included on a label. These statements such as “May contain…,” “Processed in a facility with…,” or “Manufactured on equipment that processes…” are not required by law. This is important if you have a severe allergy and must avoid cross-contact. If you are not sure, it is recommended that you reach out to the manufacturer.

Some people have allergies to foods other than the top eight. If this applies to you, be sure to read all ingredients on the label to identify the allergens and contact the manufacturer directly to ask if a product contains a particular allergen.

All about food allergies