9 Allergens regulated in the USA for Restaurants

Last month, the FDA updated its allergy regulations for food businesses in the USA.

Under section 201(qq) of the FD&C Act updated in January 2025, a “major food allergen” is one of the following foods or food groups, or an ingredient that contains protein derived from one of the following:

Foods:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Wheat
• Soybeans
• Sesame

Food Groups:

• Fish (such as bass, flounder, cod)
• Crustacean shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp)
• Tree nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, pecans)

The FDA also provide the Food Code, which is a model code available for local, state, and other jurisdictions to adopt and apply to retail food establishments, including restaurants, grocery stores, supermarkets, hospitals, nursing homes, child-care centers, and temporary food establishments that provide food directly to consumers.

The 2022 FDA Food Code contains provisions regarding food allergens in the model code as well as food allergen information in its annexes, specifically:

Definition of “major food allergen” (Part 1-2)

Supervision (Knowledge and duties) (Part 2-1)

Food Identity, Presentation and On-Premises Labeling (Part 3-6)

Cleaning of Equipment and Utensils (Part 4-6)

Additional information on food allergens (Annex 3)

Additional information on food allergens (Annex 4)

Model Forms, Guides and Other Aids (Annex 7)

Key information to allergens in the food code:

The PERMIT HOLDER shall notify CONSUMERS by written notification of the presence of MAJOR FOOD ALLERGENS as an ingredient in unPACKAGED FOOD items that are served or sold to the CONSUMER.

EMPLOYEES are properly trained in FOOD safety, including FOOD allergy awareness, as it relates to their assigned duties. FOOD allergy awareness includes describing FOODS identified as MAJOR FOOD ALLERGENS and the symptoms that a MAJOR FOOD ALLERGEN could cause in a sensitive individual who has an allergic reaction;

USA Government Allergy Downloads

Food Code 2022

Guidance for Industry 2025

How we can help

Mitigate the risk of incorrect information and staff mistakes and use our allergy menu app to provide live allergy information to your customers with a simple easy to use system.

Sign Up today for a 1 month free trial

Written on 2025-02-10 by Juliet Moran

More Articles: