The 14 UK Allergens, Decoded.
UK food law requires 14 specific allergens to be identified on every food label, on every menu, and on every Pre-Packed for Direct Sale (PPDS) item. These allergens hide under hundreds of technical names. This reference decodes them. Free. Open. No paywall.
Under the UK Food Information Regulations 2014 and Natasha's Law (October 2021), the 14 allergens must be highlighted in the ingredients list — usually in bold, italics, or capitals. PPDS food (sandwiches and salads made and packed on-site for sale) must carry a full ingredients list with allergens highlighted. This reference is the companion decoder for those names. For anyone with a clinical allergy or coeliac disease, always read the label every time and confirm with the producer if uncertain.
Methodology · Sources · Caveats
Why this matters. Allergens hide on labels under technical names that aren't always obvious to a non-specialist reader. "Casein" is milk. "Albumin" is usually egg. "Lecithin (E322)" is most often soy but can be sunflower or egg. UK law requires these to be highlighted in the ingredients list, but the highlighted name still has to be recognised. This reference is the recognition guide.
The 14 UK allergens. Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut), crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, nuts (tree nuts), celery, mustard, sesame seeds, sulphur dioxide and sulphites (>10mg/kg or >10mg/litre), lupin, molluscs.
Natasha's Law (PPDS). Pre-Packed for Direct Sale food — sandwiches, salads, and other items packed on-site before being offered for sale — must carry a full ingredients list with the 14 allergens highlighted. In force since October 2021.
"May contain" statements. Voluntary advisory labels for cross-contamination risk in shared facilities. UK has no legal threshold for "may contain" — the FSA's VITAL programme is the main reference framework. For anaphylactic-grade allergy, treat "may contain" as "does contain" unless verified.
Sources. UK Food Standards Agency; Food Information Regulations 2014; The Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 (Natasha's Law); Allergy UK; Anaphylaxis UK; Coeliac UK; British Dietetic Association allergy specialist group.
Verdicts. Direct source — this name always denotes the named allergen. Often / may contain — the name may indicate the allergen depending on source or processing; check the bolded allergens or producer. Trace / context — technically derived from the allergen but at clinically refined level (e.g., highly refined soybean oil) or context-specific.
What this is not. Not medical advice. For diagnosed allergy or coeliac disease, always read the label every time, look for highlighted allergens in the ingredient list, and contact the producer if uncertain. This decoder is an aid to recognition, not a substitute for direct allergen disclosure on the pack.
Why this is free. Per SCANSMART's Belongs-to-Everyone Rule.
Sources
- UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) — the 14 allergens; allergen guidance for businesses; voluntary 'may contain' (VITAL) framework
- Food Information Regulations 2014 (UK) — mandatory allergen highlighting
- The Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 — Natasha's Law; PPDS labelling
- Coeliac UK — gluten-free thresholds; barley, oats, and cross-contamination
- Allergy UK / Anaphylaxis UK — ingredient names and food sources
- British Dietetic Association — allergy specialist group guidance
- WHO / FAO Codex Alimentarius — international allergen labelling baseline
This reference reflects UK law as of May 2026. Allergen lists differ between jurisdictions (the US has 9 major allergens; the EU/UK lists 14). Always check the label of the country where the product is sold.
Where this reference connects.
For deeper evidence-vault treatment connecting this reference to the SCANSMART analytical framework, see: Impulse Buying Triggers · Food Marketing to Kids · Brand vs Manufacturer (silent reformulation as the safety-critical allergen risk) · Reformulation Tracking (allergen-profile changes under reformulation) · Cultural Food Myths · Global Staple Foods · Dietary Patterns · Carbohydrate Types · Caffeine and Health · Industry Funding Bias in Nutrition Research · UPF Brain & Cognitive Claims · Children’s Oral Health · Behaviour Change & Decision-Point Capture.
Reference-format consistency pass · 11 May 2026 · Stale-date reminder: re-check after FSA allergen guidance updates and any Natasha's Law enforcement updates (PPDS labelling). For any allergy management, consult a qualified clinician; this reference is not medical advice · SCANSMART is a food literacy and decision-support platform. It is not a medical device and does not provide medical advice.