8 August, 2016

How should allergens appear?

 

In food supplement labeling, allergens must appear in accordance with the regulations

Food supplement labeling for allergens is regulated in Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information provided to the consumer.  According to this standard, the part of the ingredient name that corresponds to the substances or products listed in Annex II should be highlighted by type, style or background color.

If all the ingredients of a food are substances that cause allergies or intolerances, all of them should be indicated in the list of ingredients and highlighted.

By highlighting in the list of ingredients the substances that cause allergies or intolerances, it is guaranteed that consumers continue checking the list of ingredients. Thus, consumers who suffer from an allergy or food intolerance will be able to choose the options that are safe for them.

If there is no list of ingredients in the food supplement labeling, it is mandatory to indicate the presence of allergens in the word “contains”. Next, you must put the name of the substance or product that causes allergies or intolerances.

The general rule also applies in this case according to which it is not necessary to indicate the presence of substances or products that cause allergies or intolerances when the name of the food clearly refers to the substance or product in question.

In LegaleGo Nutrition, food consultancy, we are specialized in the creation, revision and adaptation of labels to European regulations.