How to Use the Allergen Compliance Map on Food Label Maker

Allergen rules don't just vary in which ingredients count as allergens, they vary in how those allergens have to be named and declared depending on where you're selling. The Allergen Compliance Map pulls the allergens detected in your recipe into one place, lets you customize how each one is labeled, and adjusts automatically based on the market your label is built for.

Food Label Maker scans the ingredients in your recipe and lists any allergens it finds in the Allergen Map. From there, each allergen is checked against the label style (market) you've selected under Choose Label Style. Depending on that market's requirements, an allergen's label name may be automatically updated to match what that market expects, or an allergen may be automatically hidden if it isn't one your chosen market requires you to declare. You can also override any of this by hand.

Step 1 -- Open Allergen Compliance Map

From your recipe, go to Customize Label, then select Allergen Compliance Map.

Step 2 -- Review the Allergen Map

Each row shows an allergen Food Label Maker found in your ingredients (Original name), where it came from (Source), how it will print on your label (Label name), whether it's currently shown or hidden (Visibility), and, when relevant, a note explaining how that allergen is being handled for your chosen market (Compliance summary).

Step 3 -- Customize a label name if needed

Click the pencil icon next to a Label name to change how that allergen prints on your label. Note that if your chosen market requires a specific term, the label will always use that market's required name unless you edit it yourself.

Step 4 -- Adjust visibility if needed

Use the eye icon under Visibility to show or hide an allergen. An allergen may already be automatically hidden with a note explaining why, for example, if it isn't one your chosen market requires you to declare.

Step 5 -- Add any allergens that are missing

If you don't see an allergen you're expecting, click + Add Allergen to add it manually. It's good practice to check your Allergen Map against your target market's full list of required allergens, since requirements can vary by country.

Step 6 -- Add additional allergen statements

Use the Add Additional Allergen Statements box below the table for precautionary statements, such as "May Contain Traces of Peanuts," for ingredients that carry cross-contact risk rather than being a direct ingredient.

Because allergen labeling requirements differ by country, the same recipe can need different declarations depending on where it's being sold. For example, an ingredient recorded as "Oysters" needs to be declared under the broader term "Mollusks" to meet UK labeling requirements, so switching to a UK-style label will automatically rename that allergen's label name and explain the change in the Compliance summary. Similarly, an allergen like mustard isn't one of the FDA's major allergens in the US, so it may be automatically hidden on a USA-style label with a note explaining that it isn't required to be visible for that market.

This automatic handling covers label name changes and visibility, but it's still worth reviewing your full Allergen Map any time you switch label styles or add new ingredients, to make sure everything your target market requires is accounted for.

Q: Will switching my label style automatically update my allergen declarations? A: Yes, for allergens already in your Allergen Map. Label names may update to match what your chosen market requires, and allergens may be shown or hidden automatically based on whether that market requires them to be declared.

Q: What if an allergen I expect to see isn't showing up? A: Click + Add Allergen to add it manually. Since requirements vary by market, it's worth double-checking your Allergen Map against the full list of allergens your target market requires.

Q: What's the difference between editing a Label name and using Add Additional Allergen Statements? A: Label name changes how an allergen already in your ingredients prints on the label. Add Additional Allergen Statements is for precautionary statements, like "May Contain Traces of," for allergens that aren't direct ingredients but pose a cross-contact risk.

Q: What happens if I edit my recipe after setting up my Allergen Map? A: Any future change to your recipe automatically resets your allergen statement, so you'll want to review your Allergen Map again after editing your recipe.