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Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Food Labels and Guidelines

Allergen

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

/ˈælərdʒən/nounCore term

In nutrition & dietetics, allergen means: A substance, usually a protein, that can cause an allergic reaction. In food labeling, it refers to specific foods such as peanuts, milk, eggs, fish, wheat or sesame.

In Turkish: alerjen

How it is used

Common in food service, labeling and clinical practice. EU and Turkish rules list 14 major allergens that must be emphasized on labels; the US lists nine. Restaurants keep 'allergen information' or an 'allergen matrix', and labels may say 'may contain traces of nuts'.

Example sentences

  1. The new sauce contains mustard, so we need to update the allergen information on the menu.

  2. Sesame is now one of the major allergens that must be declared on food labels in the US.

Common collocations

  • major allergens
  • allergen information
  • allergen labeling
  • allergen-free
  • may contain
  • food allergyA harmful reaction of the immune system to a specific food protein, such as those in peanuts, milk or eggs. Symptoms can range from a rash to a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis.
  • ingredient listThe part of a food label that names every ingredient in the product, listed in descending order of weight, so the main ingredient comes first.
  • nutrition labelThe panel on packaged food that lists the energy and the amounts of nutrients, such as fat, carbohydrate, sugar, protein and salt, usually per 100 g and per serving.
  • gluten-freeNot containing gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. In the EU and the US, a food labeled gluten-free must keep gluten below a legal limit of about 20 mg per kg.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Food Labels and Guidelines

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.