By Dr Mariana Melo
December 2025
Australia and New Zealand are global leaders in allergen-label regulation. The Food Standards Code requires food labels to declare 11 major allergens. Despite strict mandatory labelling managed by the Allergen Bureau, undeclared allergens remain a major cause of food recalls. A Melbourne survey of 50 imported packaged foods from Asian grocery stores found undeclared gluten, milk, peanut or egg in 46% of products, with 18% containing multiple hidden allergens. These findings align with rising national rates of food recalls and anaphylaxis across Australia and New Zealand.
Accurate label reading is essential for people with food allergies, but precautionary statements such as “may contain” or “may contain traces of” are often unreliable. Research published in a leading allergy journal showed no correlation between actual allergen levels and precautionary labels: some products with warnings contained no detectable allergen, while others without warnings contained clinically significant amounts.
A paediatric allergy specialist can help families understand real-world risk and avoid unnecessary restriction while maintaining safety. This is especially important for children with multiple allergies, where overly cautious avoidance can limit food variety and nutrition. As the food supply becomes more global and complex, education, risk assessment and professional guidance remains a cornerstone of safe allergy management.