Contains allergens

Foods, raw materials or products are described as containing allergens if they contain substances that can act as allergy triggers. Allergens are substances that trigger an excessive immune response in the body, thereby leading to allergic symptoms. Typical examples include certain proteins found in milk, eggs, nuts, soya, gluten-containing cereals, fish and shellfish, as well as components of pollen, house dust mites and insect venoms. 

In food labelling, the term ‘contains allergens’ means that a product contains at least one allergen subject to labelling requirements or may contain traces of such allergens. The allergen content of a product is important for process engineering and plant design, as it influences cleaning strategies, the risk of cross-contamination and product labelling.