Food allergen declarations

A suite of resources on allergen declarations are now available for food businesses, Environmental Health Officers and interested health professionals. These resources provide information on allergen declaration requirements for food businesses and enforcement agencies and present a practical and consistent compliance and enforcement approach. This information supports the objective of protecting public health of food allergic individuals. Sensitised individuals rely on allergen declaration information provided to make decisions on what food is safe for them to purchase and eat.

• The Food Act 2008 (WA) – guideline for allergen declarations by food businesses (PDF 242 KB) | (Word 411 KB): contains information on the application of the Food Act 2008 (WA) (Food Act) in relation to allergen declarations. Designed to assist enforcement agencies in applying a consistent approach, providing the background to food allergen declarations and labelling provisions detailed in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code).
• Food allergen declarations information for food businesses (PDF 382 KB) | (Word 972 KB): contains background information on food allergy, statutory requirements for the food business on identifying food allergens in their food; and practical suggestions on risk reduction strategies and managing risks.
• Food allergy: creating safer food choices (PDF 232 KB) | (Word 649 KB): a leaflet for proprietors and food handlers containing basic information on food allergy and anaphylaxis, and the statutory requirements for food business to identify food allergens in their food.
• Implementation Subcommittee for Food Regulation (ISFR) Undeclared Allergen Incident and Investigation Protocol (external site) - Guidelines and checklists for allergen investigations at retail/food service, manufacturing and food import businesses: provides guidelines and checklists that can be used in the investigation of food allergen complaints and incidents. There are three separate checklists:
  • Retail / Food service - allergen investigation checklist
  • Manufacturing sector - allergen  investigation checklist
  • Imported Food - allergen investigation checklist

Related contacts and further information

Emergency contacts

• Call 000 in an anaphylaxis emergency
• Call 1800 022 222 Health Direct for 24hr health advice

National organisation links

• Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (external site)
• Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (external site)
• Environmental Health Australia - National Allergy Strategy (external site)
• National Allergy Strategy (external site)

Government agency and sector links

• Department of Health Victoria allergen and intolerance fact sheets for food businesses (external site)
• New South Wales Food Authority - be prepared be allergy aware (external site PDF 1.5 MB) 
• Food Standards Australia New Zealand food allergen portal (external site)

Food legislation

• Food Act 2008 (WA) (external site) 
• Food Regulations 2009 (WA) (external site)
• Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (external site)
• Standard 1.2.1 Requirements to have labels or otherwise provide information (external site)
• Standard 1.2.3 Information requirements - warning statements, advisory statements and declarations (external site)
• Standard 1.2.4 Information requirements - statement of ingredients (external site)

Other useful websites

• Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) (external site)
• Allergen Bureau (external site)