Labeling and Allergens

With the home-processing law, home bakers are required to properly label their baked goods with certain wording, ingredients, and allergens.

Labeling Requirements for Home-Based Processors

The following information shall be included on the label of each food product:

Allergen and Nutritional Labeling Guidance for Home-Based Processors

What does allergen labeling, as specified in federal labeling requirements, mean?

It means you must identify if any of your ingredients are made from one of the following food groups: milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, fish (including shellfish, crab, lobster or shrimp) and tree nuts (such as almonds, pecans or walnuts). So, if you have an ingredient made with a wheat-based product, you have two options:

1. Include the allergen in the ingredient list. For example, a white bread with the following ingredient listing: whole wheat flour, water, salt, and yeast. In this example, the statement “whole wheat flour”, meets the requirements of federal law.

2. Include an allergen statement (“Contains:”) after the ingredient list. For example a white bread, with the following ingredients: whole wheat flour, water, sodium caseinate, salt and yeast. Contains wheat and milk.

The “Contains” statement must reflect all the allergens found in the product. In this example, the sodium caseinate comes from milk.

Are There Any Special Requirements for Tree Nuts Labeling for Allergens?

Yes. If your food product has tree nuts as an ingredient, you must identify which tree nut you are using.

For example, if you made nut bread, an acceptable ingredient list would be: Ingredients: wheat flour, water, almonds, salt, yeast.

The following would not be acceptable: Ingredients: flour, water, nuts, salt, yeast.

What Does Nutritional Labeling, As Specified By Federal Labeling Requirements, Mean?

If you are not making a nutrient claim or health claim for your home-based food product, then this information will not apply to your label. The following instances constitute a nutrient of health claim:

1. Nutrient content claims involve the use of any of the following terms: free, low, reduced, fewer, high, less, more, lean, extra lean, good source, and light. If such claims are made, they must comply with the Food and Drug Administration’s conditions for the use of these terms. (For details, refer here to 21 CFR Sections 101.13). For example: the term “sodium free” means that the food contains less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving.

2. A health claim is a statement or message on the label that describes the relationship between a food component and a disease or health-related condition (e.g., sodium and hypertension, calcium and osteoporosis). If a health claim is made, it must conform to the federal requirements established. Refer here to 21 CFR 101.14.

Again, Nutrition Facts panels generally are not required. If the food label makes any nutrient content or health claims, then nutrition information must be declared in a “Nutrition Facts” statement, as specified by the Food and Drug Administration: FDA Nutrition Label Guidance

This page was copied from the Cabinet for health and family services .pdf found HERE.