Labeling Food Allergens

Last summer, Congress passed the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act. Several years in the making, this law enjoyed bipartisan support, as evidenced by leadership in the Senate from Senators Kennedy (D-Mass) and Gregg (R-NH).

Effective January 1, 2006, the law requires labeling of major allergens, defined as the eight allergenic foods or food types that cause most allergic reactions: peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, soy, fish, crustacean shellfish, and wheat. These foods or any prot…