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Tool · Labels

Product ingredient checks.

A systematic way to check labels for the UK 14 major allergens. Know what to look for, what to avoid, and when to call the manufacturer.

Quick checker

Paste an ingredients list. Find the allergens.

We'll highlight matches against the UK 14 major allergens. This is a demo — always verify with the actual product label and the manufacturer.

Demo tool — not a safety guarantee

Formulations change, scientific names can be missed, and no tool replaces careful label reading and manufacturer verification.

What to look for

Direct names and hidden ones.

Direct nut ingredients

Should be in bold or in the allergen statement.

  • Almonds, almond oil, almond extract
  • Brazil nuts
  • Cashews
  • Hazelnuts, filberts
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Peanuts (legume, often grouped)
  • Pecans
  • Pistachios
  • Walnuts

Hidden names

Less obvious terms to watch for.

  • Marzipan (almond paste)
  • Nougat (often almonds/hazelnuts)
  • Praline (usually nuts)
  • Nutella (hazelnuts)
  • Amaretto (almond)
  • Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)
  • Nut oils (almond, walnut, etc.)

Unexpected sources

Spirits filtered through almond shells

Some gins (e.g. Bombay Sapphire) are filtered through almond shells — trace almond protein can remain. Check with the manufacturer.

Wine fined with fish products

Many wines use isinglass (fish swim bladders) for fining. Trace amounts may remain. Check labels if you have a fish allergy.

Pet food allergens

Dog/cat foods may contain peanut butter or lupin (e.g. THE PACK No-Fishy Dishy). Handling can leave residue on hands.

Cross-contamination

Understanding "may contain".

In the UK and EU, manufacturers must label the 14 major allergens. But "may contain" warnings are voluntary — and confusing.

  • The product doesn't intentionally contain nuts.
  • But it's made in a facility that also handles nuts.
  • There's a real risk of cross-contamination.
  • It's also a legal protection for the manufacturer.

Whether you avoid them is a personal risk decision. Many with severe allergies avoid them entirely; others verify with manufacturers. Talk to your allergist.

Free-from labels

What they really mean.

  • "Nut-free" — doesn't contain nuts as an ingredient.
  • "Made in a nut-free facility" — the gold standard; no nuts processed there.
  • "Suitable for nut allergy sufferers" — marketing language. Always verify.
  • Some "free-from" products still carry "may contain" warnings if shared facilities are used.

When in doubt, contact the manufacturer. Most have customer service teams who can confirm their production processes.

Beauty & personal care

Checking labels beyond the supermarket.

Cosmetic labelling in the UK and EU works differently from food. The 14 major allergens are not bolded on toiletries — you need to read the full INCI ingredients list. "Parfum" or "fragrance" can hide individual components unless separately declared. Nut oils and food-derived ingredients are common in skincare and hair care. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer or avoid the product.

Skincare

Cleansers, moisturisers, serums and SPF.

  • Sweet almond oil, Prunus amygdalus dulcis — common in face oils and creams
  • Macadamia, hazelnut and argan oils in "nourishing" formulas
  • Oat-based lines (e.g. Aveeno) — oats are a gluten cereal allergen
  • Hydrolysed wheat protein in anti-ageing serums
  • Snail mucin (Helix aspersa) — a mollusc allergen

Check the full INCI list on the box, not just the marketing claims on the front.

Hair care

Shampoo, conditioner, masks and styling products.

  • Nut oils in "repair" and "nourishing" shampoos and conditioners
  • Hydrolysed wheat or oat protein in bond-repair lines
  • Milk-derived keratin or casein in salon treatments
  • Peanut or almond oil in scalp treatments and hair masks

Travel sachets and salon refills can differ from the bottle you checked at home — read every variant.

Hair colour & treatments

Box dyes, toners and salon colour.

  • PPD and other dye chemicals — separate from nuts but a real reaction risk; patch-test
  • Nut oils in "nourishing" or "argan oil" dye kits
  • Wheat protein in post-colour treatments
  • Salon products often lack full ingredient lists on display

Insist on a patch test 48 hours before any salon colour, even if you have used the brand before.

Makeup

Lip products, foundations, concealers and cream formulas.

  • Nut oils common in lip balms, lipsticks and cream blush
  • Almond oil and shea butter — shea is not a UK tree-nut allergen but often causes confusion
  • Carmine (cochineal) — not nut-related but a common contact allergen
  • "May contain" warnings are rare on cosmetics — verify reformulations

Mini and limited-edition shades sometimes use different formulas. Check the batch you are actually buying.

Body care

Body wash, lotion, deodorant and hand cream.

  • Almond oil and sweet almond extract in body lotions and washes
  • Oat extracts in eczema-friendly body care
  • Milk proteins (casein, whey) in some rich body creams
  • Nut oils in "natural" deodorants and hand creams

Hotel toiletries are a common surprise — bring your own verified products when travelling.

Fragrance & perfume

Eau de parfum, body mists and scented lotions.

  • "Parfum" or "fragrance" — a catch-all that can hide nut-derived absolutes
  • Almond, tonka and other nut-adjacent notes in gourmand scents
  • Alcohol-based carriers — check for nut oil infusions
  • Layered products (body wash + lotion + perfume) multiply exposure

Unscented or fragrance-free is not the same as allergen-free — check the full INCI list.

INCI reference: for scientific names (Amygdalus dulcis, Arachis hypogaea, etc.), see the reference cards in the next section.

In cosmetics & perfumes

Scientific names to know.

Cosmetics, hair dyes, perfumes and personal care items use scientific names for allergens. Common ones to recognise:

Tree nuts

  • Amygdalus dulcis / Prunus amygdalus (Almond)
  • Anacardium occidentale (Cashew)
  • Bertholletia excelsa (Brazil nut)
  • Corylus avellana / maxima (Hazelnut)
  • Juglans regia (Walnut)
  • Macadamia integrifolia / ternifolia
  • Pistacia vera (Pistachio)
  • Carya illinoinensis (Pecan)

Peanuts

  • Arachis hypogaea (peanut oil, extract)

Sesame

  • Sesamum indicum (sesame oil, seed extract)

Soy

  • Glycine soja / Glycine max (soybean oil, lecithin)

Wheat / gluten

  • Triticum vulgare / aestivum (Wheat)
  • Hordeum vulgare (Barley)
  • Secale cereale (Rye)
  • Avena sativa (Oats)

Milk

  • Lac (milk protein, lactose)
  • Casein / Caseinate
  • Whey

Egg

  • Ovum / Ovalbumin
  • Lecithin (may be egg-derived if not soy)
  • Lysozyme
  • Livetin

Fish

  • Collagen / Marine collagen
  • Omega-3 / Fish oil
  • Gelatin / Isinglass
  • Fish scale extract
  • Cod liver oil
  • Salmon DNA
  • Caviar extract

Crustaceans

  • Chitin / Chitosan
  • Astaxanthin (from shrimp/krill)
  • Krill oil
  • Crustacea (general)

Molluscs

  • Pearl extract / Pearl powder
  • Mother of pearl (nacre)
  • Abalone extract (Haliotis)
  • Snail mucin (Helix aspersa)
  • Mollusca (general)

Celery

  • Apium graveolens (seed oil, extract)

Mustard

  • Brassica nigra (Black)
  • Brassica juncea (Brown)
  • Sinapis alba (White)
  • Armoracia rusticana (Horseradish)

Lupin

  • Lupinus albus (White)
  • Lupinus angustifolius (Blue)
  • Lupinus luteus (Yellow)

Sulphites

  • E220 Sulphur dioxide
  • E221 Sodium sulphite
  • E222 Sodium hydrogen sulphite
  • E223 Sodium metabisulphite
  • E224 Potassium metabisulphite
  • E225–E228 (sulphite group)

Remember: always check the full ingredients list on cosmetic products. Allergens can hide in fragrances, oils, extracts, protein derivatives — even in chitin (crustacean shells) or pearl powder (molluscs). When in doubt, contact the manufacturer or avoid the product.

When to call

Contacting the manufacturer.

Sometimes the label isn't clear enough. Reach out when:

  • The ingredients list is unclear or uses technical terms.
  • There's a "may contain" warning and you want to know their actual risk management.
  • A "nut-free" claim needs confirmation.
  • You've had a reaction and need to report it.
  • Packaging has changed and you want to verify safety.

Tip: most manufacturers publish allergen info on their websites or run a customer service line. Keep a note of products you've verified as safe.

Important: this tool and information are for guidance only. Always read labels yourself and, when in doubt, contact the manufacturer or avoid the product. Ingredient formulations change — check labels even on products you've used before.