Food Safety Focus (228th Issue, July 2025) – Article 4

Read Food Labels to Reduce the risk of Food Allergy

Food allergy is a reaction of the body's immune system to some substances in food. Even a very low level of an allergenic substance can trigger an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. The immune system normally protects the body from pathogens, but in cases of food allergies, it mistakenly identifies some components of food as threats. Common known allergens include gluten, crustacea, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, tree nuts and sulphite.

Symptoms of food allergy include swelling of the face, tongue or lips. In severe cases, anaphylactic shock, an acute and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, can occur after exposure to allergens. To avoid allergic reactions from food, the public should read food allergen information and ingredients on food labels carefully to check for allergens of concern. The trade must follow requirements as listed in the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap. 132W), which require that prepackaged food be legibly marked or labelled with a list of ingredients. If a food consists of or contains allergens, the name of the substance shall be specified in the list of ingredients.