What we cover

The top 14 food allergens

In the UK, food allergen labelling regulations recognise 14 foods as the most common causes of food allergies and intolerances. These are celery, egg, fish, lupin, milk, mustard, peanuts and tree nuts, sesame, shellfish (crustaceans & molluscs) soya, sulphites, and wheat (cereals containing gluten).

Other food allergens

There are foods outside of the top 14 allergens that can cause allergic reactions. These are alpha-gal, banana, buckwheat, fruit, kiwifruit, legumes & pulses, lipid transfer proteins, onion & garlic, pollen food syndrome, Quorn, seeds and vegetables.

Non-food allergens

Non-food causes of allergic reactions include animals, chlorhexidine, drugs, exercise, hair dyes, idiopathic anaphylaxis, insect stings, latex and mould.

Tests, treatments and other topics

Read about anaphylaxis, adrenaline, immunotherapy, allergy testing, allergen thresholds, cosmetics and personal care products, and outgrowing allergy.

See our Glossary of Terms for more information

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Information you can trust

Anaphylaxis UK holds the PIF TICK – the UK’s quality mark for health information. This certifies that we are a ‘trusted information creator’ and that the PDF downloads of our Factsheets are evidence-based, jargon-free, up-to-date and produced to the best possible standard.

The PIF TICK is run by the non-profit Patient Information Forum (PIF).

Factsheets about the top 14 food allergens

Factsheets about other food allergens

Factsheets about non-food allergens

Factsheets on testing, treatment and other topics

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Useful Links

The British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology (BSACI)

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

European Medicines Agency (EMA)

Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC)

Spare Pens In Schools

The British Dietetic Association (BDA)

Specialist Pharmacy Service

Resuscitation Council UK

Coeliac UK