The top 9 allergens in the United States are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. The FDA calls them major food allergens, and together they account for roughly 90% of documented food allergic reactions in the country. Federal law requires food makers to name all nine plainly on the label. Sesame joined the list on January 1, 2023, which is why you still see older packaging and older articles refer to a "Big 8." If you read labels for someone with allergies, these nine names are the ones to know by heart.
What are the top 9 allergens?
Here is the full list, along with the foods each one covers.
| Allergen | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Milk | Cow's milk and dairy ingredients such as whey, casein, butter, and cream |
| Eggs | Chicken eggs, plus ingredients like albumin and egg lecithin |
| Fish | Finned fish such as cod, salmon, tuna, bass, and flounder |
| Crustacean shellfish | Shrimp, crab, lobster, crayfish |
| Tree nuts | Almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts, and others |
| Peanuts | Peanuts and peanut ingredients (a legume, not a tree nut) |
| Wheat | Wheat flour, semolina, farina, durum, spelt |
| Soybeans | Soy flour, soy protein, tofu, edamame |
| Sesame | Sesame seeds, sesame oil, tahini |
Two names on that list trip people up. Peanuts are legumes, so they sit apart from tree nuts, and someone can react to one and eat the other safely. Coconut is regulated as a tree nut by the FDA even though botanically it is a fruit, so it shows up in tree nut labeling.
Why is it called the Big 9 instead of the Big 8?
For nearly twenty years the list held eight items. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 named milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans as major allergens and required clear labeling for each.
Congress passed the FASTER Act in April 2021, and it added sesame as the ninth major allergen starting January 1, 2023. Before that change, sesame could hide inside vague terms like "natural flavors" or "spices." Now it has to be named. If you are reading a label printed before 2023 or an article written before then, the sesame line may be missing.
How do the top 9 allergens appear on a food label?
Federal law gives food makers two ways to declare a major allergen:
- In the ingredient list. The common name appears directly, as in "whey (milk)" or "lecithin (soy)."
- In a Contains statement. A line right under the ingredients reads "Contains: Milk, Soy."
One thing surprises most parents: "may contain" and "made in a facility that also processes" statements are voluntary. No law requires them and no law standardizes their wording. A product without an advisory statement was not necessarily made in a clean facility. It may just mean the company chose not to print one. When cross contact matters for your household, call the manufacturer and ask what else runs on the line.
What does "top 9 free" mean on a snack?
The phrase is not a legal term, so brands use it loosely. Three very different things get sold under similar language.
| What the label says | What it usually means | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Free from all top 9 | None of the nine major allergens is in the recipe | Whether the facility also handles any of the nine |
| Peanut and tree nut free | Only those two are excluded, others may be present | The Contains line for milk, egg, wheat, soy, sesame |
| Allergy friendly | Nothing specific, it is a marketing phrase | The full ingredient list, every time |
Read the Contains line before you trust the front of the bag. The front is marketing. The back is regulated.
Which Safe + Fair snacks are free from all top 9?
We build our snacks around this list, and we say plainly where the line falls.
| Product line | Free from all top 9? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Granola | Yes | Free from all top 9 allergens. The Organic Cookie Dough and Organic Strawberry Shortcake flavors are also USDA organic and made without seed oils. |
| Drizzled and seasoned popcorn | Yes | Free from all top 9 allergens. |
| Remy's Grahams | No | Peanut free and tree nut free. Made in a facility that also handles egg and milk, so they are not free from all nine. |
We would rather tell you that last row up front than have you find it on the back of the box. You can also browse everything by allergen on our shop by allergy page.
What about allergens outside the top 9?
The list of nine is a United States list, and it is shorter than some others. The European Union regulates 14, adding celery, mustard, lupin, molluscs, and sulfites. Canada includes mustard as well. If you buy imported food or travel, the labeling rules change with the border.
A few more distinctions worth holding onto:
- Wheat free is not the same as gluten free. Wheat is the regulated allergen. Gluten also appears in barley and rye, and only a certified gluten free claim confirms testing below 20 parts per million.
- Corn, mustard, and sulfites are not on the US list, so they carry no mandatory Contains statement here.
- Alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to mammal meat triggered by a tick bite, is not covered by allergen labeling at all.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 9 major food allergens?
Milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. The FDA requires each to be declared clearly on packaged food sold in the United States.
When did sesame become a top 9 allergen?
January 1, 2023, under the FASTER Act signed in April 2021. Before that date the list had eight items and sesame could be grouped under general terms like natural flavors.
Are peanuts a tree nut?
No. Peanuts grow underground and are legumes, closer to peas and lentils. Tree nuts grow on trees. The FDA lists them as two separate major allergens, and many people allergic to one can eat the other safely.
Does a top 9 free label mean the facility is free of allergens too?
Not on its own. A top 9 free claim describes the recipe. Shared equipment and shared facilities are covered by voluntary advisory statements that no law standardizes. Ask the manufacturer directly when cross contact is a concern for your household.
Keep reading
If you are shopping for a specific allergy, these guides go deeper: peanut free snacks, dairy free snacks, and the best top 9 allergen free granola.
