Other names for food allergens

Food labels tell you what ingredients are in a food. However, sometimes they use uncommon terms for an allergy-causing food or substance (allergen). The following table provides terms you may see on a food label for common allergens and foods that may contain the allergen.

Common food allergy terms

Allergen	Other names	Often an ingredient of:
Wheat	Gluten Bran Bulgur Couscous Cereal extract Cracker meal High-protein flour Semolina Spelt Simplesse	Soups Bread, pasta, white flour, cookies, crackers White vinegar Alcoholic beverages Ice cream Some baking powder and soy sauces Coffee substitutes made with grains Instant beverages made with malt
Milk, cow's milk protein	Casein, sodium caseinate, potassium caseinate, rennet casein, magnesium caseinate Milk solids Curds, delactosed whey, demineralized whey, whey protein concentrate Lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate, lactose	Butter, artificial butter flavor, margarine Cheese Custard Sour cream, yogurt Brown sugar, chocolate Lunch meats, hot dogs High-protein flour
Eggs	Albumin Globulin Ovalbumin, ovomucin, ovomucoid Lysozyme Simplesse	Mayonnaise, salad dressings, sandwich spreads Bread Ice cream Egg-based glaze on baked goods
Corn	Corn meal Corn syrup Dextrose	Maple syrup Powdered sugar Grits Vitamin C Adhesive on stamps and envelopes
Sulfites	No alternative terms, but sulfites are contained in many foods. Read labels carefully.	Alcoholic beverages Fruit juices Bakery items, pizza crust, waffles Pickles, olives, wine vinegar, horseradish, pickled vegetables, relish Trail mix and other dried foods, coconut Gelatin, frosting, jam, jelly, hard candy, sugar Gravies, stuffing, noodles, rice mixes Fish and shellfish Tortilla and potato chips Vegetable juices, canned and frozen vegetables
Peanuts	Cold-pressed peanut oil Mixed nuts Hydrolyzed plant protein Vegetable protein	Baked goods (pastries, cookies, Danish) Chocolate, marzipan, nougat, candy Chili, soups Chinese and Thai dishes
Soy	Textured vegetable protein	Miso Soy sauce, shoyu sauce, tamari Tempeh, tofu
Fish	Anchovies Caviar Roe	Anchovies Caviar Roe

Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS	Last Updated: April 5, 2007
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Harold S. Nelson, MD - Allergy and Immunology
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