Food Labels - Declaring Allergens - New Requirements

Clear and consistent food allergen labelling came into effect on 25 February 2024 for food businesses packaging foods. The changes are designed to make food allergen information on food labels clearer and more consistent.

The only exemption to this date is food that was packaged prior to 25 February 2024. There is a two-year stock-in-trade period, meaning the old food labelling requirements apply. For example, the summary statement is not needed, this is only valid until 25 February 2026.

Under the new requirements businesses must state allergens using mandatory specified terms as listed below, and in bold font, they must be listed in two separate areas on the label: 

Displayed in the statement of ingredients,

AND; 

In a separate allergen summary statement.

Allergen declarations must be made in the statement of ingredients (ingredients list), and must be:

• printed in bold font that provides a distinct contrast with any other text.
• printed in a size of type no less than that used for other text.

• provided as a separate word for each ingredient that is, or contains, an allergen. An allergen summary statement must be provided:

This is the list of allergens that are present in the product.

This allergen summary statement must be:

• printed in a bold font that provides a distinct contrast with any other text in the statement of ingredients that is not a required name.
• printed in the same type face and size of type as the declarations in the statement of ingredients.
• commence with the word ‘Contains’ and only include the allergens required to be declared.

The may be present/may contain statement is voluntary.

The Australian Food & Grocery Council & Allergen Bureau  Food Industry Guide to Allergen Management and Labelling for Australia and New Zealand is a good resource.

Common Food Allergens

Recently the list of most common food allergens has been expanded by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand for the allergens that need to be declared in food.
The Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) Code amendments require businesses to separate the declaration of molluscs, individual tree nuts (such as Brazil nuts, cashews, and pecans among others) and wheat, barley, rye or oats and gluten if present.

The food and ingredients listed below must be declared when they are present using the exact name in bolded text. The change means individual tree nuts, molluscs, and individual cereals must all be declared separately.

*  Barley, oats, and rye must be declared if they contain gluten. 

 ** Sulphites must be declared when added in amounts equal to or more than 10 milligrams per kilogram of food.