Global food safety body adopts new guidance on 'may contain' allergen labels

The Codex Alimentarius Commission has adopted new international guidelines for precautionary allergen labelling (PAL), a move expected to bring greater clarity and consistency to "may contain" statements on food products globally. This development is significant for the estimated 4.3 percent of the world's population affected by food allergies, for whom these labels can be critical in making safe food choices.

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Some people unnecessarily avoid foods that are safe for them, while others may lose confidence in the warnings and choose to ignore them.

The new science-based recommendations, agreed upon during the commission's 49th session in Geneva from July 6-10, 2026, aim to standardize the use of precautionary allergen statements. Currently, the application of such labels varies widely and is often unregulated, leading to inconsistent information for consumers. This inconsistency can cause some individuals to unnecessarily avoid safe foods, while others may become desensitized to warnings, potentially ignoring genuine risks.

Food allergies can trigger reactions ranging from mild symptoms to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Precautionary statements are used when small amounts of an allergen can unintentionally contaminate a food product, even if the allergen is not listed as an ingredient. Examples include traces of nuts in chocolate bars produced on shared lines or cross-contamination from shared storage and transport of ingredients like milk powder or sesame seeds.

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The new Codex guidelines, adopted as an annex to the general standard for the labelling of pre-packaged foods (CXS 1-1985), establish a harmonized, science- and risk-based approach to the use of precautionary allergen labelling.

The Codex guidance stipulates that "may contain" warnings should only be applied after food businesses have implemented robust allergen management measures and conducted a scientific risk assessment. This ensures that the residual risk from unintended allergen presence has been scientifically evaluated and cannot be adequately controlled through standard practices. The guidelines are integrated as an annex to the general standard for the labelling of pre-packaged foods (CXS 1-1985), establishing a harmonized, risk-based approach.

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Rather than serving as a substitute for good manufacturing practices, such statements should be used only after food businesses have implemented appropriate allergen management measures and conducted a scientific risk assessment demonstrating that a residual risk from unintended allergen presence remains.