Major food allergens: the FDA's nine, and what a restaurant menu should show
Updated October 20, 2026
In the US, the major food allergens are the nine foods federal law singles out: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. Packaged foods must name them on the label. Restaurant meals made to order are mostly outside that federal labeling rule, but the FDA Food Code, which most states and cities build their own rules on, asks food businesses to tell customers about major allergens in unpackaged food in writing.
In short
- Nine major allergens in the US. Sesame became the ninth on January 1, 2023.
- Packaged food must declare them. Made-to-order restaurant food is mostly covered by state and local food codes instead.
- The EU and UK list has 14, adding celery, mustard, sulphites, lupin and molluscs, and naming gluten cereals rather than wheat.
- On Menuthere every dish can carry its allergens, calories and a halal mark, on every plan, and customers see them on the online and QR menu.
The nine major food allergens, and when each was added
| Allergen | Added by | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | FALCPA (2004) | |
| Eggs | FALCPA (2004) | |
| Fish | FALCPA (2004) | The species must be named, e.g. "cod" |
| Crustacean shellfish | FALCPA (2004) | The species must be named, e.g. "shrimp"; mollusks such as clams are not on the list |
| Tree nuts | FALCPA (2004) | The type must be named, e.g. "almonds" |
| Peanuts | FALCPA (2004) | |
| Wheat | FALCPA (2004) | |
| Soybeans | FALCPA (2004) | |
| Sesame | FASTER Act (signed April 23, 2021) | The ninth allergen, in force from January 1, 2023 |
FALCPA is the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004. The FASTER Act is the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research Act of 2021.
What does a restaurant have to do?
There are two layers, and they apply to different food:
- Federal labeling (FALCPA). It covers packaged, labeled food, including food a restaurant or store packages and labels in advance, such as a grab-and-go salad. Food placed in a wrapper or container after the customer orders it is not covered.
- The FDA Food Code. The FDA publishes the Food Code as a model that state, local, tribal and territorial regulators use for their own rules. The 2022 edition added a provision (¶ 3-602.12(C)) to inform consumers about major food allergens in unpackaged food "via written means." Whether it binds your restaurant depends on whether your state or city has adopted that edition, so check with your local health department.
Chains with 20 or more locations have one more rule: the FDA's menu labeling rule requires calories on menus and menu boards, a statement that more nutrition information is available on request, and a note that 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
US list vs EU and UK list
| US major allergen | EU / UK allergen | On Menuthere's list |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | Milk | Milk |
| Eggs | Eggs | Eggs |
| Fish | Fish | Fish |
| Crustacean shellfish | Crustaceans | Crustaceans |
| Tree nuts | Tree nuts | Tree nuts |
| Peanuts | Peanuts | Peanuts |
| Wheat | Cereals containing gluten | Gluten |
| Soybeans | Soy | Soy |
| Sesame | Sesame | Sesame |
| (not on the US list) | Celery, mustard, sulphites, lupin, molluscs | Celery, Mustard, Sulphites, Lupin, Molluscs |
So a menu built on the 14-allergen list covers the US nine, with one wording point: tick Gluten for a wheat dish, and say "wheat" in the dish description if a guest with a wheat allergy needs to know it's wheat rather than another gluten grain.
An example: one dish, written for a menu
A shrimp pad thai with peanuts, egg, fish sauce and soy sauce contains five US major allergens: crustacean shellfish (shrimp), peanuts, eggs, fish and soybeans. If the soy sauce label lists wheat, that makes six. On Menuthere the dish gets Crustaceans, Peanuts, Eggs, Fish, Soy and Gluten ticked, and the description can say "contains shrimp, peanuts, egg, fish sauce, soy sauce (wheat)." (Illustrative dish; always check your own recipes and suppliers' labels.)
How Menuthere handles allergens
- On every dish. Add allergens & nutrition in the dish editor lets you tick the 14 allergens the dish contains, add Calories per serving, and switch on Halal.
- What customers see. Opening a dish on your online or QR menu shows Allergens with each one you ticked, the calories (for example "320 kcal") and the halal mark. In the Diner menu style the dish card also shows a short line such as "320 kcal · 3 allergens".
- Every menu style and the digital menu a table QR opens show them.
- Search engines see them too. The plain version of your store that search engines read includes the allergens, calories and halal mark you added. See restaurant schema markup.
- Print it. The free allergen chart maker and allergen label maker build a printable chart or labels.
- On every plan, Free included. Help: allergens and nutrition.
What it doesn't do: Menuthere doesn't check your recipes, warn about cross-contact or add the FDA's 2,000-calorie statement for chains. The details are only as good as what you enter. Add-ons don't carry their own allergens, so mention allergens in an add-on's name where it matters (for example "Peanut sauce").
Put your menu online with allergens and calories on every dish. 0% commission.
Related terms
- Menu modifiers: add-ons and sizes, where allergens can sneak in.
- Restaurant schema markup: how your menu is described to search engines.
FAQs
What are the 9 major food allergens?
The nine major food allergens in the US are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. The first eight come from FALCPA in 2004; sesame was added by the FASTER Act and took effect on January 1, 2023.
Do restaurants have to label allergens on the menu?
Federal labeling law covers packaged food, not food wrapped after the customer orders. Many restaurants still have to tell customers about major allergens in writing because their state or city has adopted the FDA Food Code provision on unpackaged food. Check with your local health department.
When did sesame become a major allergen?
Sesame became the ninth major food allergen in the US on January 1, 2023, under the FASTER Act, which was signed on April 23, 2021.
What is the difference between the US 9 and the EU 14 allergens?
The EU and UK list of 14 adds celery, mustard, sulphites, lupin and molluscs, and lists cereals containing gluten instead of wheat. A menu marked with the 14 covers the US nine if wheat is made clear.
Can I show allergens on my online menu?
Yes. On Menuthere you tick the allergens each dish contains, and customers see them, with calories and a halal mark, when they open the dish on your online or QR menu. It works on every plan, including Free.
Sources (6)
- US FDA, Food Allergies (nine major food allergens; FALCPA 2004 identified the first eight; FASTER Act added sesame, signed April 23, 2021, effective January 1, 2023; labeling extends to retail and food-service establishments that package and label food, but not to food placed in a wrapper or container after the customer orders; species/type must be named for fish, crustacean shellfish and tree nuts), content current as of 11 Mar 2026: https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods/food-allergies (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- US FDA, Summary of Changes in the 2022 FDA Food Code (new ¶ 3-602.12(C) "inform consumers of major food allergens in unpackaged foods via written means"), content current as of 19 Jan 2023: https://www.fda.gov/food/fda-food-code/summary-changes-2022-fda-food-code (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- US FDA, FDA Food Code ("a model that assists food control jurisdictions at all levels of government"; regulators use it "to develop or update their own food safety rules"; 2026 is the most recent full edition), content current as of 17 Sep 2026: https://www.fda.gov/food/retail-food-protection/fda-food-code (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- US FDA, Menu Labeling Requirements (chains of 20 or more locations; calories on menus and menu boards; nutrition information on request; 2,000 calories statement; compliance date May 7, 2018), content current as of 13 Dec 2023: https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods/menu-labeling-requirements (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Menuthere help: Allergens and nutrition, updated 11 Oct 2026 (14 allergens listed by name; Calories, Halal; customers see allergens, kcal and halal on the dish; Diner card line; every menu style and the digital menu; follows the EU and UK list): https://menuthere.com/docs/menu/allergens-and-nutrition (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Menuthere help: How Google sees your store, updated 20 Oct 2026 (crawler page includes allergens, calories and halal mark): https://menuthere.com/docs/online-store/how-google-sees-your-store (accessed 20 Oct 2026)