Published on: 2026-08-30
Source: United Nations – Объединенные Нации –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
August 29, 2026 Healthcare
You take a pack of cookies. You read the list of ingredients – everything seems safe. And then you notice a familiar phrase: “May contain nuts.”
For millions of people suffering from food allergies, these three words can determine what they put in their basket and what stays on the shelf. The problem is that the so-called “precautionary allergen labeling” is unregulated in many countries and often applied differently in various regions of the world. Therefore, consumers often find it difficult to understand when the information on the label indicates a real risk.
The Codex Alimentarius Commission — an international body for setting food standards, established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) — has adopted new guidance on the use of food allergen labeling. This could fundamentally change the safety and accessibility of food products for millions of people worldwide who suffer from food allergies and often avoid purchasing products with warning labels.
In this fundamentally new document, aimed at addressing the issue of excessive use of precautionary labeling regarding the presence of allergens in products, scientifically based and risk-assessed threshold values are established for the first time in history, allowing the identification of unsafe levels of allergens in food products.
Here are five important facts about allergens and the new guidelines.
1. Food allergy is a global problem
Millions of people worldwide suffer from food allergies. The manifestations of allergic reactions range from mild symptoms, such as itching and swelling, to anaphylactic shock – a severe, potentially life-threatening condition.
For a person suffering from food allergies, it is extremely important to have access to clear and reliable information. Thanks to labeling, consumers learn which products contain allergens and make informed decisions about what to eat.
Food allergies can affect quality of life. Many consumers have to plan meals, grocery shopping, and leisure activities taking into account the need to avoid certain foods for themselves and their family members.
2. The label “May contain allergens” was intended as an additional safety measure
During production, allergens not even included in the recipe may get into the products in small amounts. For example, chocolate may be made on the same equipment as products containing nuts. Flour, powdered milk, sesame, and other allergens can get into products during joint storage, transportation, or processing.
This process is called cross-contamination with allergens.
Recognizing the likelihood of such contamination, manufacturers often use warning labels like “May contain peanuts” or “May contain nuts.” These are intended to draw attention to the possibility that an allergen not listed among the ingredients may have accidentally entered the product. People with food allergies receive extremely important information from such warning labels, provided they are used only when necessary.
However, today this labeling is used so widely – sometimes unnecessarily – that people with allergies may refuse to buy products that are completely safe for them, or they may completely ignore the labeling, putting themselves at risk.
3. The new guidelines are based on scientific data and the results of many years of international research
Since 2020, FAO and WHO have been holding international expert advisory meetings involving allergists, doctors, scientists, representatives of regulatory authorities, and risk assessment specialists. Together, they studied factual data on various types of food allergies and investigated how cross-contamination with allergens occurs at different stages of food production, processing, and handling. They concluded that by adhering to hygiene standards and production rules, manufacturers can virtually eliminate cross-contamination.
In addition, experts discussed how warning labels about the presence of allergens can provide more accurate information about the actual risk. For the first time, threshold levels of allergen content in products were established, based on risk assessment and scientific data: amounts below these thresholds do not cause pathological reactions in the majority of allergic consumers.
Their findings served as the scientific basis for the preparation of a new guideline adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. It supplements the “General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods” (CXS 1-1985) previously developed by the Commission, which since 1999 has included a list of foods and ingredients capable of causing hypersensitivity.
4. Preventive labeling about the presence of allergens should be applied only when necessary
The new guideline outlines the general principles that food industry enterprises must follow to prevent or minimize the accidental presence of food allergens resulting from cross-contamination.
This will reduce the use of precautionary allergen labeling and ensure that it is applied only when truly necessary – in situations where accidental presence of allergens in food products cannot be prevented or controlled through food allergen regulations and rules, and risk assessment shows that their levels may exceed scientifically justified limits.
5. The Code’s guidelines are important for both consumers and trading organizations
The texts of the Code set guidelines for work on ensuring the safety of food products that are the subject of international trade, in accordance with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. This means that all WTO members – which is the majority of countries in the world – undertake to trade food products that meet the Code standards.
In addition, the Code documents help food industry enterprises build a coordinated approach to food trade. Thanks to the first-ever guidance on precautionary allergen labeling, the range of products that can be offered to consumers without risk will expand.
By developing labeling guidelines and standards and regulations for controlling food allergens, the Codex Alimentarius Commission helps countries protect consumers and ensure fair trading practices.
Ultimately, when it comes to consumer safety, the most useful labeling is the one they can trust.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It represents an accurate account of what the source asserts and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.