A food (or component of a food) that can trigger an immune reaction in sensitive people, ranging from mild symptoms to life-threatening anaphylaxis.
A food allergy involves the immune system and can cause severe, rapid reactions including anaphylaxis, even to trace amounts. An intolerance (such as lactose intolerance) is usually digestive, dose-related and not life-threatening. Food businesses must manage declared allergens carefully because of the allergy risk.
The Food Standards Code requires declaration of cereals containing gluten, crustacea, egg, fish, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, soy, lupin, added sulphites at 10 mg/kg or more, and molluscs. These are commonly called the declared or major allergens.
Yes. When food is not required to carry a label (for example, food made and sold at a cafe or sold unpackaged), the allergen information must still be provided, either displayed with the food or given to the customer on request.
Generally no. Cooking, baking or heating does not reliably remove the risk, and some allergenic proteins remain active after processing. You cannot assume an allergen has been made safe by cooking, so it must still be declared and controlled.
Never guess. Staff should check the recipe, ingredient labels or the allergen matrix, or ask the customer to choose a dish that can be confirmed. If the absence of an allergen cannot be verified, the customer should be told clearly so they can decide.