Allergen Management
Control of food allergens to prevent cross-contamination
Allergen Management is the systematic control of food allergens through the production, storage, and distribution chain to prevent cross-contamination and protect consumers with food allergies.
Major food allergens (varies slightly by region): - **EU 14 allergens**: cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk (lactose), nuts, celery, mustard, sesame seeds, sulphites, lupin, molluscs. - **US Big 9 allergens**: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, sesame.
Allergen management requirements (BRCGS, IFS, FSSC): - Allergen risk assessment. - Segregation of allergenic and non-allergenic raw materials. - Cleaning validation between products. - Production scheduling (allergen-free runs first). - Allergen labeling per regulation (PAL — precautionary allergen labeling). - Validation of cleaning procedures.
For Egyptian food manufacturers exporting to EU/UK, allergen management is a frequent BRCGS/IFS finding area. Common issues: - Inadequate cleaning validation (no swab testing). - Missing allergen risk assessment. - Cross-contamination from peanuts/tree nuts in dried fruit packing. - Sesame contamination in spice blends and tahini.
FoodGate Audit verifies allergen management plans during facility audits, including cleaning validation, segregation procedures, and labeling compliance.