EU 14 allergens
The EU 14 allergens are the foods that EU and UK law says must be emphasized on food labels and declared by restaurants, from gluten to lupin.
Also called 14 allergens, EU allergen list, UK 14 allergens.
The EU 14 allergens are the foods and ingredients that European Union food law (Regulation 1169/2011) says must always be declared. The UK kept the same list after it left the EU. They are the allergens that cause most allergic reactions to food in Europe, but people can be allergic to other foods too.
The 14 are:
- Cereals containing gluten: wheat (including spelt and khorasan), rye, barley and oats
- Crustaceans, such as shrimp, crab and lobster
- Eggs
- Fish
- Peanuts
- Soybeans
- Milk, including lactose
- Nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios and macadamia nuts
- Celery, including celeriac
- Mustard
- Sesame seeds
- Sulfur dioxide and sulfites above 10 mg per kg or per liter
- Lupin
- Mollusks, such as mussels, squid and oysters
The EU legal text uses British spelling and calls groups 12 and 14 "sulphites" and "molluscs".
How to use it
On prepacked food, each allergen must be emphasized in the ingredients list, usually in bold. There is no separate "allergy box" in the law, so read the whole list. For grains and nuts the label must name the specific one, such as "barley" or "almonds".
Restaurants, cafés, bakeries and delis in the EU and the UK must be able to tell you which of the 14 are in each dish. In the UK, food that is packed on the premises before you order it, such as a café sandwich, must carry a full ingredients list with the allergens emphasized.
Common mistakes
- Treating the list as complete. People can be allergic to foods outside it, such as kiwi or pine nuts.
- Reading "may contain" as a legal warning. Those statements are voluntary, and their absence does not prove a product is safe.
- Expecting other countries to use the same list. The US major allergens are nine foods. The US does not list celery, mustard, lupin or mollusks as major allergens, lists only wheat rather than all gluten cereals, and defines tree nuts differently.
In recipes
A recipe that lists its allergens against the EU 14 tells you which of these groups any ingredient belongs to. Check the labels of the products you actually buy, because brands differ. If you or someone you cook for has a food allergy, talk to a doctor or dietitian about what to avoid.
Related terms
- US major allergensThe US major food allergens are nine foods that must be named on US labels, from milk, eggs and peanuts to wheat, soy and, since 2023, sesame.
- Cereals containing glutenCereals containing gluten is the EU allergen group for wheat, rye, barley and oats, including spelt and khorasan. Labels must name the grain.
- Tree nutsTree nuts include almonds, walnuts, cashews and hazelnuts. The EU and the US define the group differently, so their labels can name different nuts.
- SulfitesSulfites are preservatives found in wine, dried fruit and some pickles. Above 10 mg per kg or liter they must be declared on EU, UK and US labels.
- MollusksMollusks are soft-bodied shellfish such as mussels, clams, oysters, squid and octopus. They are an EU allergen but not a major allergen in the US.
- LupinLupin is a legume whose seeds and flour turn up in some European breads, pastries and gluten-free foods. It is one of the EU 14 allergens.