Food labels tell you what ingredients are in a food. However, sometimes they use uncommon terms for an allergy-causing food or substance (allergen). The following table provides terms you may see on a food label for common allergens and foods that may contain the allergen.
Common food allergy terms
| Allergen |
Other names |
Often an ingredient of: |
| Wheat |
- Gluten
- Bran
- Bulgur
- Couscous
- Cereal extract
- Cracker meal
- High-protein flour
- Semolina
- Spelt
- Simplesse
|
- Soups
- Bread, pasta, white flour, cookies, crackers
- White vinegar
- Alcoholic beverages
- Ice cream
- Some baking powder and soy sauces
- Coffee substitutes made with grains
- Instant beverages made with malt
|
| Milk, cow's milk protein |
- Casein, sodium caseinate, potassium caseinate, rennet casein, magnesium caseinate
- Milk solids
- Curds, delactosed whey, demineralized whey, whey protein concentrate
- Lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate, lactose
|
- Butter, artificial butter flavor, margarine
- Cheese
- Custard
- Sour cream, yogurt
- Brown sugar, chocolate
- Lunch meats, hot dogs
- High-protein flour
|
| Eggs |
- Albumin
- Globulin
- Ovalbumin, ovomucin, ovomucoid
- Lysozyme
- Simplesse
|
- Mayonnaise, salad dressings, sandwich spreads
- Bread
- Ice cream
- Egg-based glaze on baked goods
|
| Corn |
- Corn meal
- Corn syrup
- Dextrose
|
- Maple syrup
- Powdered sugar
- Grits
- Vitamin C
- Adhesive on stamps and envelopes
|
| Sulfites |
No alternative terms, but sulfites are contained in many foods. Read labels carefully.
|
- Alcoholic beverages
- Fruit juices
- Bakery items, pizza crust, waffles
- Pickles, olives, wine vinegar, horseradish, pickled vegetables, relish
- Trail mix and other dried foods, coconut
- Gelatin, frosting, jam, jelly, hard candy, sugar
- Gravies, stuffing, noodles, rice mixes
- Fish and shellfish
- Tortilla and potato chips
- Vegetable juices, canned and frozen vegetables
|
| Peanuts |
- Cold-pressed peanut oil
- Mixed nuts
- Hydrolyzed plant protein
- Vegetable protein
|
- Baked goods (pastries, cookies, Danish)
- Chocolate, marzipan, nougat, candy
- Chili, soups
- Chinese and Thai dishes
|
| Soy |
- Textured vegetable protein
|
- Miso
- Soy sauce, shoyu sauce, tamari
- Tempeh, tofu
|
| Fish |
|
|
Credits
|
Author
|
Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
|
Editor
|
Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
|
Associate Editor
|
Pat Truman |
|
Primary Medical Reviewer
|
Kathleen Romito, MD
- Family Medicine |
|
Specialist Medical Reviewer
|
Harold S. Nelson, MD
- Allergy and Immunology |
|
Last Updated
|
April 5, 2007 |
Author:Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Last Updated: 04/05/2007
© 1995-2007, Healthwise, Incorporated, P.O. Box 1989, Boise, ID 83701. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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