There Is No Such Thing As “Allergen-Free”

The majority of food-related allergic reactions are triggered by 9 foods — egg, milk, soy, peanut, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, wheat, and sesame. But wait, there’s more!

While most allergic reactions can be traced back to the 9 foods listed above, more than 170 different foods have been reported as causing allergic reactions, as per research shared by FARE. So even if a sunflower seed allergy is rarer than a peanut allergy, there are plenty of reported reactions to them. Similarly, kiwi may not be included in the list of top 9 allergens, but many individuals are allergic to them.

When people assume that avoiding the top 9 is enough for a dish or product to be considered “allergen-free,” we exclude – or worse, put in danger – a host of individuals who have allergies outside the major allergens.

So if you’ve avoided the top 9 in creating a special dish, and you took precautions to mitigate the risk of cross-contact in your kitchen, saying you’ve prepared an “allergy-friendly” dish is a reasonable statement for most people. But calling it “allergen-free” can be misleading.

Beware of any product with similar labeling. This means it is absolutely essential that your read every food label every time, even if you've used that product before. Companies are known to alter ingredients or manufacturing practices without notice.

Lastly, don't forget to do the Triple Check every time you buy any product — food as well as non-food. If you’re not familiar with the Triple Check, you can learn about it here…