IFN 10-25: Mandatory allergen labelling requirements

Issued 14 October 2025

Attention

Food importers and customs brokers acting on their behalf.

Purpose

To advise food importers of regulatory changes to mandatory allergen declarations on food labels which came into effect on 25 February 2024.

Plain English allergen labelling

Undeclared allergens in food present a significant health risk to people with food allergies.

Mandatory allergen declaration requirements were added to the Food Standards Code. These changes make it easier for consumers to identify allergens in food so they can make informed food choices.

Key labelling requirements:

Allergen information must be declared:

• in a specific format and location on food labels, and
• using simple, plain English terms in bold font.

Food manufactured or produced after 25 February 2024 must comply with the mandatory allergen labelling requirements

Allergens that must be declared include:

• wheat (with or without gluten)
• fish
• crustacean
• mollusc
• egg
• milk
• lupin
• peanut
• soy, soya, soybean
• sesame
• almond
• Brazil nut
• cashew
• hazelnut
• macadamia
• pecan
• pine nut
• pistachio
• walnut
• barley*
• oats*
• rye*
• sulphites**

* 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.

The two-year stock in trade period ends on 25 February 2026. After this date, all food available for sale must be compliant with the mandatory allergen labelling requirements.

Mandatory allergen declaration requirements are published in Standard 1.2.3 and Schedule 9 – 3 of the Food Standards Code

For food requiring a label, allergens must be declared:

• in the statement of ingredients for each ingredient, food additive or processing aid that is or contains an allergen
• within a separate summary statement beginning with the word ‘Contains’ in the same field of view directly next to the statement of ingredients
• using bold type, within the statement of ingredients and the summary statement to make allergens stand out from surrounding information
• in a type size no less than that used for other text
• the name ‘gluten’ must be listed along with ‘wheat’ in the summary statement if gluten is present, and only the name ‘gluten’ must be listed for barley, rye, oats, or their hybrids, if they contain gluten.

Example statement of ingredients

To ensure compliance

• check all allergens are declared in the required format and the separate summary statement is present as set out in Standard 1.2.3 and Schedule 9 of the Food Standards Code
• check that no allergens are omitted by asking suppliers for ingredient information and/or product specification sheets
• review sample labels before they are finalised for printing.

If noncompliant labelling is identified at an inspection, the importer has the following options:

• relabel the food, if it can be made compliant and book a reinspection with the department, or
• re-export or destroy the food under department supervision.

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