Foods such as goats milk and pine nuts may need allergy warning labels, researchers suggest.
It comes as a study highlighted eight foods currently not included on the list for mandatory allergy labelling but which are regularly involved in cases of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction that can happen very quickly.
Experts in France analysed food-induced anaphylaxis cases reported to the Allergy Vigilance Network from 2002–2023.
In almost 3,000 cases, some 413 were caused by eight emerging allergens without mandatory labelling, including two deaths, according to study author Dominique Sabouraud-Leclerc.
“We therefore believe it is time to review the list of the 14 foods with mandatory labelling to include at least the most severe of these emerging food allergens,” she said.
Writing in the journal of Clinical and Experimental Allergy, researchers suggest four of these foods – goat and sheep milk, buckwheat, peas and lentils, and pine nuts – should be included on allergen listings.
This is due to their “frequency, severity, recurrence, and potential for hidden exposure”, they added.
The recurrence rate – which means the same allergen caused a number of reactions in the same patient – ranged from 7.3% for peas and lentils and 56% for goat and sheep milk.
Researchers also warned other ingredients to be wary of include kiwi, apple, beehive products like pollen, and alpha-gal, which can be found in red meat.
In the UK and EU, food businesses are required to highlight 14 major allergens on packaging. These are:
– Celery– Cereals containing gluten, such as wheat, rye, barley and oats– Crustaceans like prawns, crabs and lobsters– Eggs– Fish– Lupin, a legume related to peanuts– Milk– Molluscs like mussels and oysters– Mustard– Peanuts– Sesame– Soybeans– Sulphur dioxide and sulphites– Tree nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macademia nuts
Anaphylaxis symptoms usually start within minutes of coming into contact with an allergen and can include swelling of the throat and tongue, trouble breathing and fainting.
Simone Miles, chief executive at Allergy UK, said: “We are calling for full ingredient labelling on all food products, as even lesser-known allergens can cause serious reactions and life-threatening anaphylaxis.
“We are closely monitoring emerging allergens and recently issued advice to people with a pea allergy.
“Pea is not one of the 14 allergens currently required by law to be listed, yet pea protein is increasingly being added to a wide range of foods, including in products where it may not be expected.
“For too long, people with food allergies have struggled with unclear and inconsistent food labelling.
“Vague ‘may contain’ warnings, small print, and confusing ingredient lists make it difficult to know whether a product is safe to eat.
“We have also raised concerns about platforms such as TikTok Shop, where many products lack clear and accurate labelling.
“This is a growing risk for people with allergies, and we are urging consumers to be cautious and always check the label, while calling on regulators and retailers to take urgent action.”
About 21 million people in the UK live with an allergy, according to Allergy UK.
The charity is also calling for a food anaphylaxis registry to be introduced.
“This would help the medical profession understand why life-threatening anaphylaxis occurs,” Ms Miles said.
“This is a crucial step to ensure the risks of this happening to anyone again in the future are significantly reduced.”
