Guides
Practical guides to UK food labelling
Written for people who make food, not for people who write policy. Every UK regulatory claim here traces back to the Food Standards Agency, GOV.UK or the legislation itself, and every page says when it was last checked. There is also a US food labeling cluster for packaged food sold in the United States, citing FDA and USDA sources — LabelClear remains a UK PPDS tool.
Start here
The things worth reading first
Natasha’s Law
What the law asks for, who it applies to, and what goes on the label.
PPDS food
What counts as prepacked for direct sale, with the FSA’s own examples.
The 14 allergens
Each one, and the everyday ingredients it hides in.
Allergen labelling
Emphasis methods, every occurrence, and “may contain”.
Allergen matrix
What it is, who asks for one, and how to keep it current.
US food labeling
FDA packs, the nine major allergens, Nutrition Facts, and cottage food.
20 guides
Natasha's Law
Natasha's Law
Natasha's Law label examples
Five real products — a brownie, a sandwich, a sponge, a cookie — with the finished label for each and what makes it correct.
6 min read
Natasha's Law
How to create a Natasha's Law label
Start to finish: gathering supplier declarations, writing the ingredients list, emphasising allergens, and getting it onto a label.
7 min read
Natasha's Law
Does Natasha's Law apply to my business?
A short decision path, then the awkward cases: made to order, market stalls, wholesale, and food packed at home.
5 min read
Natasha's Law
What is Natasha’s Law?
Natasha’s Law is the everyday name for the UK rules that require prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food to carry the name of the food and a full ingredients…
6 min read
Natasha's Law
When did Natasha’s Law start?
Natasha’s Law — the PPDS allergen labelling requirements — came into force across the United Kingdom on 1 October 2021. From that date, food packed before…
6 min read
Natasha's Law
Do home bakers need Natasha’s Law labels?
Yes — if you pack food before the customer chooses it and sell it yourself from the same place (home collection, a stall you run, or a fridge you stock),…
6 min read
Natasha's Law
Natasha’s Law and distance selling
When PPDS-style food is ordered remotely and collected or delivered, allergen information must still reach the customer. FSA distance-selling guidance…
6 min read
Natasha's Law
Natasha’s Law checklist
Use this checklist before you put a PPDS product on sale: confirm it is PPDS, gather supplier specs, write the name and full ingredients list, emphasise…
5 min read
Natasha's Law
Who enforces Natasha’s Law?
Local authority food teams (environmental health / trading standards, depending on the council) enforce PPDS allergen labelling in the UK. They use FSA or…
6 min read
Natasha's Law
Natasha’s Law in Scotland vs England
PPDS allergen labelling requirements apply across the UK, including Scotland and England, from 1 October 2021. Practical guidance is published by the FSA…
6 min read
Natasha's Law
Do hotels need Natasha’s Law labels?
Yes for grab-and-go packs sealed before guests choose them — pastry bags, yoghurt pots you assemble, sealed juice. Open buffet dishes need allergen…
7 min read
Natasha's Law
Do delis need Natasha’s Law labels?
Yes for food packed before selection — sealed salad pots, wrapped sandwiches, cheese you cut and pack ahead. Food sliced and wrapped after the customer…
7 min read
Natasha's Law
Do bakeries need Natasha’s Law labels for every product?
No. Only food packed before the customer chooses it. Open trays where customers point and you bag to order usually follow non-prepacked allergen information…
7 min read
Natasha's Law
Does Natasha’s Law apply to charity cake sales?
If a food business packs cakes before buyers choose them, PPDS labelling duties can still apply — charity fundraising does not automatically create an…
7 min read
Natasha's Law
Does Natasha’s Law apply to workplace canteens?
Sealed grab-and-go packs prepared before staff choose them are usually PPDS. Hot food plated to order is usually not. Employer canteens run by a food…
7 min read
Natasha's Law
Does Natasha’s Law apply in Northern Ireland?
Yes. PPDS allergen labelling requirements apply across the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, from 1 October 2021. Use FSA guidance for NI…
7 min read
Natasha's Law
How to label food for online collection
If packs are prepared before collection and meet the PPDS test, they need on-pack name and ingredients with allergens emphasised. Online menus can provide…
7 min read
Natasha's Law
Do I need different labels for England and Wales?
Usually no. The PPDS allergen labelling duty is the same. Use FSA guidance and make sure ingredients wording matches the food you sell in each place.
7 min read
Natasha's Law
What is the difference between PPDS and Natasha’s Law?
PPDS describes the category of food — prepacked for direct sale. Natasha’s Law is the everyday name for the allergen labelling rules that apply to that…
7 min read
Natasha's Law
What happens if my PPDS label is wrong?
Remove affected packs from sale, correct the master list, reprint, and follow your incident procedures. Your local authority may advise or require…
7 min read
53 guides
PPDS
PPDS
PPDS vs prepacked food
Two similar words, two different sets of rules. A comparison table and the cases that catch people out.
5 min read
PPDS
What is PPDS food?
PPDS means prepacked for direct sale: food packed before the customer selects it, and offered by the same food business from the same premises or the same…
6 min read
PPDS
Do market stalls need PPDS labels?
Yes, when you pack food before customers pick it and sell it from your stall. Bags of cookies, boxed brownies and sealed salad pots prepared earlier are…
6 min read
PPDS
Do cafés need to label sandwiches?
If sandwiches are wrapped or boxed before the customer chooses them — for example stacked in a fridge — they are usually PPDS and need a Natasha’s Law…
6 min read
PPDS
Is a cake in a box PPDS?
Often yes: if you place a whole cake or slices into a box before the customer chooses that cake, and you sell it from the same premises, it is typically…
6 min read
PPDS
Do I need to label free samples?
Free does not automatically mean exempt. If samples are food you offer to consumers, allergen information duties still matter. Packed sample bags prepared…
6 min read
PPDS
Do I need nutrition information on PPDS labels?
Most café, bakery and deli PPDS packs do not need a full nutrition declaration under Natasha’s Law. The PPDS duties are the name of the food and a full…
6 min read
PPDS
PPDS label size requirements
UK guidance expects PPDS mandatory information to be clear and legible, with x-height rules familiar from food information law (typically a minimum x-height…
6 min read
PPDS
Labelling wedding cakes and PPDS
Wedding cakes are often designed after a detailed customer order, which can place them outside classic “packed before anonymous selection” PPDS patterns —…
6 min read
PPDS
Coffee shop pastry labelling
Pastries sealed or boxed before customers choose them — muffins in wraps, croissants in bags, cakes under sealed domes — are usually PPDS and need Natasha’s…
6 min read
PPDS
School packed lunches and allergen labelling
Food businesses supplying packed lunches to schools must provide accurate allergen information. Individually packed meals prepared ahead for collection or…
6 min read
PPDS
Hotel breakfast buffet and PPDS labelling
Hotels often run mixed breakfast service: open buffet dishes (non-prepacked information) beside grab-and-go yoghurts, pastry bags and juice bottles.…
6 min read
PPDS
Butcher counter PPDS labelling
Butchers packing sausages, burgers, marinated meats or ready meals before customers select them need PPDS labels with the name of the food and full…
6 min read
PPDS
Fish and chip shop PPDS labelling
Traditional fish and chips cooked and wrapped to order are usually not PPDS. Prepacked items — fridge-loaded fishcakes, boxed desserts, tartare pots filled…
6 min read
PPDS
Do pubs need PPDS labels?
Yes, when you pack food before customers choose it — fridge pies, wrapped sandwiches, sealed bar snacks. Made-to-order meals from the kitchen usually follow…
7 min read
PPDS
Do butchers need PPDS labels?
Yes when meat or ready meals are packed before the customer chooses them — sealed mince trays you fill, marinated kebabs bagged ahead, sausage packs…
7 min read
PPDS
Do farm shops need PPDS labels?
Yes for food you pack before customers choose it — own-bake cakes, sealed sandwiches, tubs of coleslaw. Bought-in branded jars keep their original labels.…
7 min read
PPDS
Do meal prep businesses need PPDS labels?
Usually yes. Weekly meal pots packed before customers collect or receive them are classic PPDS: each pot needs the name of the food and a full ingredients…
7 min read
PPDS
Do caterers need PPDS labels?
Yes when you pack individual meals or snack packs before guests choose them. Platters served loose need allergen information available; sealed guest packs…
7 min read
PPDS
Do ghost kitchens need PPDS labels?
If you pack food before the customer selects it and sell it from the same business and site, PPDS rules apply — even if there is no walk-in counter.…
7 min read
PPDS
Do sandwich shops need PPDS labels?
Fridge sandwiches wrapped before customers choose them are usually PPDS. Sandwiches made to order at the counter after the customer asks typically are not —…
7 min read
PPDS
Do takeaways need PPDS labels?
Food packed after the customer orders is usually not classic PPDS. Sealed fridge items or meal-deal packs prepared before selection usually are. Map each…
7 min read
PPDS
Do ice cream parlours need PPDS labels?
Scoops served to order usually need allergen information available, not a PPDS pack label. Sealed tubs, take-home pints and prepacked ice-cream sandwiches…
7 min read
PPDS
Do sushi bars need PPDS labels?
Platter sushi assembled to order usually follows loose-food allergen rules. Sealed sushi boxes packed before customers choose them are typically PPDS and…
7 min read
PPDS
Do nurseries need allergen labels on packed food?
Food businesses supplying packed meals to nurseries must provide accurate allergen information. Individually packed meals prepared ahead are often PPDS.…
7 min read
PPDS
Do care homes need PPDS labels?
Sealed snacks or meals packed before residents or visitors choose them can be PPDS. Meals plated in the dining room to order usually need accurate allergen…
7 min read
PPDS
Do restaurants need PPDS labels for takeaway?
Takeaway packed after the order is usually not classic PPDS. Grab-and-go desserts or sides sealed before customers choose them usually are. Online ordering…
7 min read
PPDS
Do mobile caterers need PPDS labels?
Yes when food is packed before customers choose it from your van or stall. The FSA publishes specific PPDS guidance for mobile sellers. Cooked-to-order…
7 min read
PPDS
How to label soup for the fridge
Sealed soup pots packed before customers choose them need a PPDS label: clear name, full ingredients in weight order, allergens emphasised. Stock cubes,…
7 min read
PPDS
How to label salad boxes
Sealed salad boxes packed before selection are usually PPDS. Dressings, croutons, cheese and seeds drive most allergens — list every component in the box,…
7 min read
PPDS
How to label granola and yoghurt pots
Sealed overnight oats and granola pots packed ahead need PPDS labels. Milk, oats, nuts, sesame and soya from yoghurt, granola clusters and syrups are common.
7 min read
PPDS
How to label sausage rolls and pasties
When sealed or boxed before customers choose them, sausage rolls and pasties are usually PPDS. Pastry brings wheat and often milk or egg; fillings bring more.
7 min read
PPDS
How to label frozen PPDS food
Freezing does not remove Natasha’s Law duties. If food is packed before selection and sold by you from the same premises, it still needs name and…
7 min read
PPDS
Is a wrap PPDS?
A wrap sealed or tightly enclosed before the customer chooses it is usually PPDS. A wrap assembled after the customer orders is usually not. The…
7 min read
PPDS
Is a salad pot PPDS?
Yes when the pot is filled and sealed before customers choose it. Open salad bars where customers build bowls are usually not PPDS for each serving.
7 min read
PPDS
Is soup in a takeaway cup PPDS?
Soup portioned and lidded before customers choose it is usually PPDS. Soup ladled into a cup after the customer asks is usually not.
7 min read
PPDS
Does a bakery loaf need a PPDS label?
A loaf bagged or wrapped before customers choose it usually needs PPDS labelling. Loaves picked from an open shelf and bagged after selection usually follow…
7 min read
PPDS
Do I need to label food for staff meals?
Staff meals plated to order usually need accurate allergen information rather than PPDS pack labels. Sealed grab-and-go packs prepared before staff choose…
7 min read
PPDS
What to put on a PPDS label besides allergens
For typical PPDS the mandatory core is the name of the food and a full ingredients list with Annex II allergens emphasised. Extra claims, nutrition and…
7 min read
PPDS
How to label food sold at farmers markets
If you pack food before customers choose it at your stall, treat it as PPDS: name plus ingredients with allergens emphasised. Loose trays bagged after…
7 min read
PPDS
How to label subscription meal boxes
Individually packed meals prepared before subscribers receive them are usually PPDS. Each meal needs its own particulars. Weekly menu changes mean weekly…
7 min read
PPDS
How to label pizza slices sold cold
Cold pizza slices sealed or boxed before customers choose them are usually PPDS. Base, cheese, meat and sauces drive wheat, milk and other allergens — list…
7 min read
PPDS
How to label quiche and tarts
When boxed or wrapped before selection, quiche and tarts are usually PPDS. Pastry and egg custard bring wheat, milk and egg; fillings add more.
7 min read
PPDS
How to label hummus and dips
Sealed dip pots packed before selection are usually PPDS. Sesame from tahini is the classic hummus allergen; mayonnaise-based dips bring egg and mustard.
7 min read
PPDS
What counts as the same premises for PPDS?
PPDS involves food packed and sold by the same food business from the same premises or site — for example a café and its own fridge, or a trader’s market…
7 min read
PPDS
How to label yoghurt and dessert pots
Sealed yoghurt and dessert pots packed before selection need PPDS labels. Milk is the default allergen; mix-ins bring gluten cereals, nuts and soya.
7 min read
PPDS
How to label smoothie and juice bottles you fill
Bottles you fill and seal before customers choose them are usually PPDS. List every fruit, milk, yoghurt, nut butter or seed ingredient with allergens…
7 min read
PPDS
How to label popcorn and snack pots
Sealed popcorn and snack pots packed before selection are usually PPDS. Butter, milk powders, soya lecithin and flavour blends drive allergens — not just…
7 min read
PPDS
How to label stuffed pasta and ravioli
Sealed pasta pots and packs prepared before selection need PPDS labels. Pasta usually means wheat and egg; fillings bring milk, fish, nuts or celery.
7 min read
PPDS
How to label risotto and rice pots
Sealed risotto and rice pots packed ahead need PPDS labels. Stock, butter, cheese, soy sauce and seafood mix-ins are the allergen drivers — rice itself is…
7 min read
PPDS
How to label curry and sauce pots
Sealed curry pots packed before selection are usually PPDS. Pastes and sauces can bring mustard, soya, gluten cereals, fish, crustaceans, milk, nuts and…
7 min read
PPDS
How to label breakfast pots and overnight oats
Sealed overnight oats and breakfast pots packed ahead need PPDS labels. Oats, milk, nuts, seeds and syrups must be listed with Annex II allergens emphasised.
7 min read
PPDS
How to label kids’ lunch boxes you sell
Sealed children’s lunch boxes packed before collection or sale are usually PPDS. Each component in the box must be reflected in accurate ingredients…
7 min read
81 guides
Allergen labelling
Allergen labelling
How to emphasise allergens on a food label
Bold, capitals, colour or underline — all four are allowed. Which to choose, and the rule people miss about every occurrence.
5 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label compound ingredients
Chocolate, pesto, mayonnaise, bread. When you need to break an ingredient into its own list, and the 2% rule.
6 min read
Allergen labelling
What to do when a supplier changes an ingredient
The reformulation nobody announces. How to catch it, and how to find every product and label it affects.
5 min read
Allergen labelling
“May contain” vs “contains” allergens
“Contains” (or emphasis inside the ingredients list) declares allergens that are intentional ingredients. “May contain” is precautionary wording about…
6 min read
Allergen labelling
Can I use allergen symbols instead of a list?
No. For PPDS food, Natasha’s Law requires a full written ingredients list with allergenic ingredients emphasised. Icons, colour dots or nut pictograms can…
6 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label traces of allergens
Traces from cross-contamination are not declared the same way as intentional ingredients. PPDS labels must list and emphasise allergens that are…
6 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in pesto
Classic basil pesto usually brings milk from Parmesan or pecorino. Pine nuts are not one of the named UK tree nuts. If the tub uses cashews or walnuts…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is an egg ingredient. Most UK brands also contain mustard. Both must be emphasised in the ingredients list of any PPDS food that uses the…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in soy sauce
Soy sauce contains soya. Most brewed soy sauces also contain wheat, which is a cereal containing gluten. Tamari is often made without wheat, but it is still…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in Worcestershire sauce
Worcestershire sauce usually contains fish, from anchovies, and barley malt vinegar, which is a cereal containing gluten. A vegan Worcestershire-style sauce…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in stock cubes
Stock cubes and stock pots very often contain celery. Many also contain wheat and soya. A vegetable stock is not a free pass — celery is a vegetable, and it…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in breadcrumbs
Breadcrumbs are wheat unless the bag says otherwise. They are a cereal containing gluten. Seasoned and Japanese panko crumbs are still wheat. Gluten-free…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in puff pastry
Ready-made puff pastry contains wheat. All-butter puff pastry also contains milk, because butter is milk. Margarine puff pastry often still contains milk,…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in marzipan
Marzipan is almonds, which are tree nuts, plus sugar. Some recipes also contain egg white. Golden marzipan and white marzipan from the same maker can differ…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in peanut butter
Peanut butter is peanuts. Peanuts are an allergen in their own right — they are not tree nuts. Emphasise peanut. Some brands add soya lecithin or sugar; the…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in tahini
Tahini is sesame. Sesame is one of the 14 allergens and must be emphasised wherever tahini, sesame paste or sesame seeds are used, including inside hummus.
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in hummus
Shop and kitchen hummus usually contains sesame from tahini. Chickpeas themselves are not one of the 14 allergens. Some recipes also add soya oil or a…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in dark chocolate
Dark chocolate very often contains soya lecithin. It is not automatically milk-free: some dark chocolates contain milk, and some do not. Cocoa butter is not…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in butter
Butter is milk. The word milk often does not appear in the name, so the ingredients list has to emphasise milk anyway. Ghee and concentrated butter are also…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in ghee
Ghee is milk. Clarifying butter removes most of the water and some of the lactose, but it does not take ghee off the milk allergen. A PPDS curry or cake…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in margarine
Bakery margarine often contains milk and soya, even when the tub says vegetable fat. Some cake margarines are milk-free and soya-free. The front of the box…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in gravy granules
Gravy granules usually contain wheat, and often soya and celery. Some contain milk. A gluten-free gravy mix is a different SKU. The roast dinner box or pie…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in Marmite
Marmite contains barley malt extract, a cereal containing gluten, and celery extract. It is a yeast extract, not a meat stock. A small amount in a gravy,…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in Caesar dressing
Caesar dressing usually contains egg, fish from anchovies, milk from Parmesan, and mustard. A bottled dressing and a kitchen recipe can differ. A vegan…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in béchamel
Béchamel is milk and wheat. Butter in the roux is milk a second time, and you emphasise milk every time it appears. A gluten-free white sauce needs a…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in satay sauce
Satay sauce contains peanuts. Many bought sauces also contain soya and sometimes shrimp paste, which is crustaceans. Emphasise peanut by that name. Do not…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in Thai curry paste
Most red, green and Panang curry pastes contain shrimp paste, which is crustaceans, and often fish sauce. A vegetarian paste is a different product. Do not…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in fish sauce
Fish sauce is fish. It is made from fermented fish. A small splash in a dressing, stir-fry or curry is still a fish ingredient and must be emphasised on a…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in oyster sauce
Oyster sauce contains molluscs. Most brands also contain soya, and many contain wheat. A vegetarian oyster sauce is a different product, usually…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in hoisin sauce
Hoisin sauce contains soya and usually wheat. Sesame is common. A duck wrap or bao packed with hoisin has to emphasise those allergens even when the filling…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in miso
Miso is fermented soya beans, so it contains soya. Many misos also contain rice or barley. Barley miso is a cereal containing gluten. White, red and barley…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in tofu
Tofu is soya. Silken, firm and smoked tofu are all soya beans. Marinades add extra allergens: soy sauce usually adds wheat, and some smoked tofu coatings…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in Quorn
Quorn mycoprotein is not one of the 14 allergens, but most Quorn pieces contain egg white, and many contain wheat or barley. Some contain milk. You label…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in sausage meat
UK sausage meat usually contains wheat, because of rusk. Many mixes also contain sulphites and some contain soya. A gluten-free sausage is a different mix.…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in dried apricots
Bright orange dried apricots are usually treated with sulphur dioxide. Sulphites must be declared when present above 10 mg/kg. Darker unsulphured apricots…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in balsamic vinegar
Balsamic vinegar contains sulphites. Wine vinegars and many reductions do too. A glaze on a packed sandwich or roasted-vegetable pot has to declare…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in almond flour
Almond flour is almonds, a tree nut. Ground almonds, almond meal and almond flour are the same allergen. A flourless cake made with almond flour is not…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in oat flour
Oats are a cereal containing gluten in UK allergen labelling, unless you are using gluten-free oats and the product meets the rules for a gluten-free claim.…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in lupin flour
Lupin flour is lupin, one of the 14 allergens. It turns up in some pastries, waffles and gluten-free or high-protein bakery mixes, including products bought…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in coconut milk
Coconut milk is not milk, and coconut is not a named UK tree nut. A curry made only with coconut milk does not get a milk or nut emphasis from the coconut.…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in almond milk
Almond milk is almonds, a tree nut. It is not dairy milk. Emphasise almonds. Do not emphasise milk unless the drink also contains dairy. Barista versions…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in oat milk
Oat milk contains oats, a cereal containing gluten, unless it is the gluten-free oat sort and you follow the rules for that claim. It is not dairy milk. A…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in pine nuts
Pine nuts are not one of the named UK tree nuts. You list them as an ingredient, but you do not emphasise them as almonds or as nuts. If a pesto or salad…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in soya lecithin
Soya lecithin is soya. It is an emulsifier in chocolate, margarine and many bakery releases. Emphasise soya every time it appears. Sunflower lecithin is the…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in barley malt extract
Barley malt extract is barley, a cereal containing gluten. It is not covered by the exemption for barley glucose syrups. If it is an ingredient of a bun,…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in couscous
Couscous is wheat. It is a cereal containing gluten. A packed couscous salad must emphasise wheat. People often treat it like rice. It is not rice.
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in buckwheat
Buckwheat is not wheat and is not a cereal containing gluten. The name is the trap. Pure buckwheat flour, groats and many soba noodles still need a…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in spelt
Spelt is a species of wheat. On a UK label you emphasise wheat. Describing a loaf as spelt does not make it wheat-free or gluten-free. Kamut (Khorasan…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in cornflour
Cornflour in UK kitchens means maize starch. Maize is not a cereal containing gluten. A sauce thickened only with cornflour is not wheat. Some products…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in egg wash
Egg wash is eggs. If you brush it on pastry, bread or a pie before you pack the product, egg is an ingredient and must be emphasised. Leaving it off because…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in shrimp paste
Shrimp paste is crustaceans. It is fermented shrimp, also sold as belacan, terasi or kapi. A small amount in a curry paste, sambal or marinade must be…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in lactose-free milk
Lactose-free milk is still milk. The lactose has been broken down. The milk protein is still there, so a PPDS food made with it must emphasise milk.…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in goat’s cheese
Goat’s cheese is milk. Sheep’s cheese and buffalo mozzarella are milk too. UK allergen rules cover milk from those animals, not only cow’s milk. Emphasise…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in sunflower lecithin
Sunflower lecithin is not soya. If your chocolate, icing or margarine uses sunflower lecithin instead of soya lecithin, you do not emphasise soya for that…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in digestive biscuits
Digestive biscuits contain wheat. Many also contain barley malt extract, and some contain soya. A cheesecake base or traybake crust made from them carries…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
Allergens in rice noodles
Plain rice noodles are rice. Rice is not a cereal containing gluten. A noodle pot becomes a gluten, fish or crustacean dish because of the sauce and garnish…
5 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label gluten-free PPDS products
A gluten-free claim does not replace the ingredients list. List every ingredient, emphasise any of the 14 that are present (egg, milk, soya, nuts…), and…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label vegan PPDS food
Vegan is a recipe claim, not an allergen exemption. List ingredients, emphasise soya, gluten cereals, mustard, sulphites, nuts and other Annex II allergens…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to describe shared equipment risks on labels
Shared equipment is a cross-contact issue. PPDS packs must still list intentional ingredients with emphasis. Precautionary “may contain” wording is optional…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How should I label mixed nut toppings?
Name the nuts that are actually in the mix — almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and so on — and emphasise each as tree nuts (or peanuts if present). Do not write…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How should I label seeded bread?
List the seeds actually used. Sesame must be emphasised when present. Other seeds are listed as ingredients even when they are not Annex II allergens. Wheat…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
Do I need to declare celery in stock?
Yes when celery is an ingredient of the stock or finished food — including many stock cubes and gravies. Emphasise celery in the ingredients list every time…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
Do I need to declare mustard in mayonnaise?
Yes when mustard is an ingredient of the mayonnaise. Emphasise mustard in the finished food’s ingredients list, even if the amount is small.
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label food cooked in shared fryers
List the intentional ingredients of the food you pack. Shared fryer oil can create cross-contact risk — manage it operationally and only add precautionary…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label food with sulphites
When sulphur dioxide or sulphites are present above the threshold as ingredients (or from ingredients like dried fruit or wine vinegar), they must be…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label food that contains lupin
When lupin flour or lupin ingredients are used, emphasise lupin in the ingredients list. It appears in some bakery and gluten-free products and is easy to…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label mollusc ingredients
Mussels, clams, oysters, squid, octopus and snail ingredients are molluscs — a separate allergen from crustaceans. Emphasise molluscs (or the specific name…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label crustacean garnishes
Prawns, crab, lobster and crayfish used as ingredients — including garnishes on a sealed PPDS pack — must appear in the ingredients list with crustaceans…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label egg-free products that still have allergens
Egg-free only means egg is absent. PPDS packs still need a full ingredients list with any other Annex II allergens emphasised — wheat, milk, soya, nuts and…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label dairy-free PPDS food
Dairy-free means you are not using milk ingredients — it does not remove the duty to list everything else and emphasise soya, nuts, gluten cereals and other…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label nut-free claims on PPDS packs
Only claim nut-free when your product and process support it. Still print a full ingredients list. Peanuts and tree nuts are different — be precise about…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label alcohol in food for PPDS
If wine, beer or spirits are ingredients of PPDS food, list them. Sulphites from wine and barley or wheat from beer can bring Annex II allergens that need…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label spice blends
Break out spice blends when needed so allergens such as celery, mustard, sesame or cereals are visible. “Spices” as a single word is not enough if Annex II…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label breadcrumbs and coatings
Breadcrumbs usually mean wheat — emphasise the grain. Coatings can also bring milk, egg or sesame. On PPDS fried or baked goods, declare the coating as used.
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label pastry products
Puff, shortcrust and filo usually bring wheat and often milk or egg. When sealed before selection, list pastry components and fillings with allergens…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label chocolate decorations
Chocolate curls, drops and sprays are ingredients. Dark chocolate often brings soya lecithin; milk chocolate brings milk; some decorations add nuts.…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label cream fillings and frostings
Buttercream, ganache and cream fillings usually mean milk — and sometimes soya from chocolate. On PPDS cakes, include the filling in the ingredients list…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label meat marinades
Marinades often hide mustard, soya, gluten cereals, celery and fish (from Worcestershire). On PPDS marinated meats, break the marinade out so those…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label stuffing and sausage meat
Stuffing and sausage meat often contain wheat breadcrumbs, sulphites and sometimes milk or celery. On PPDS products, declare the mix fully with allergens…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label gravy and jus
Gravy granules and jus bases frequently contain wheat, soya, celery and milk. On PPDS meals that include gravy in the pack, declare it with allergens…
7 min read
Allergen labelling
How to label cheese products for PPDS
Cheese is milk — emphasise milk. Some grated hard cheeses contain egg lysozyme; flavoured cheeses can add nuts or celery. List what the specification shows.
7 min read
15 guides
Food labels
Food labels
Food label font size: the UK rules
1.2 mm x-height, 0.9 mm on small packs — and why x-height is not the same thing as font size.
4 min read
Food labels
Ingredients list order: how it works
Descending order of weight at the time of manufacture — what that means for a recipe you make by eye.
4 min read
Food labels
How to name food on a PPDS label
The name of the food on a PPDS pack must tell customers what they are buying — not only a witty menu title. Prefer a clear customary name (“chicken and…
6 min read
Food labels
Labelling Christmas hampers for PPDS
Hampers that you assemble and sell yourself need clear allergen information for every food item. Prepacked bought-in goods often keep their original labels;…
6 min read
Food labels
How to label bought-in cakes you repack
If you take a bought-in cake out of its packaging and reseal it for sale from your premises before customers choose it, you typically become responsible for…
7 min read
Food labels
How to label sauces sold in pots
Sealed sauce pots packed before customers choose them are usually PPDS: name the sauce and list every ingredient with allergens emphasised. Watch mustard,…
7 min read
Food labels
How to label cookies and biscuits for sale
Bags or boxes of cookies sealed before customers choose them need PPDS labels. Butter, egg, wheat and chocolate (often soya and milk) appear again and again.
7 min read
Food labels
How to label brownies and traybakes
Boxed or wrapped brownies packed before selection are classic PPDS. Butter (milk), eggs, wheat and dark chocolate (often soya lecithin) are the default…
7 min read
Food labels
How to write an ingredients list from a recipe
Convert the recipe to ingredients in descending order of weight at manufacture, break out compound ingredients so allergens stay visible, then emphasise…
7 min read
Food labels
How to label multi-packs of the same product
If customers cannot see the particulars without opening the outer pack, the outer pack needs the mandatory information — or each inner PPDS unit must carry…
7 min read
Food labels
Do prepacked sandwiches from a supplier need my label?
Bought-in sandwiches that arrive fully packed for retail usually keep the supplier’s label. If you unpack and reseal them, or add fillings, you may take on…
7 min read
Food labels
Do I need to label condiment sachets I fill?
If you fill and seal sachets before customers choose them, treat them as packed food and provide accurate ingredients with allergens emphasised. Bought-in…
7 min read
Food labels
How to label flapjacks and cereal bars
Sealed flapjacks and bars packed before selection need PPDS labels. Oats, butter, milk chocolate and nuts are common. Emphasise each Annex II allergen present.
7 min read
Food labels
How to label food colourings and additives
List additives by the rules that apply to ingredients lists — usually the category and name or E number as required. Additives are not a substitute topic…
7 min read
Food labels
How to label protein balls and energy bites
Sealed protein balls packed before selection need PPDS labels. Dates, oats, nut butters, whey and soya protein are common allergen sources.
7 min read
2 guides
Allergen matrix
Allergen matrix
How to keep food labels up to date
A maintenance routine that fits around service: what to check, how often, and what to write down.
5 min read
Allergen matrix
Allergen matrix vs ingredient label
An allergen matrix is a staff tool showing which of the 14 allergens appear in each dish. A PPDS ingredient label is what must go on food packed before…
6 min read
19 guides
Operations
Operations
Can I handwrite PPDS labels?
Yes. Handwritten PPDS labels are allowed if they are clear, permanent and complete: name of the food, full ingredients list, and allergens emphasised (for…
6 min read
Operations
Thermal printer allergen labels
Monochrome thermal printers are the workhorse for PPDS labels in cafés and bakeries. Use bold or capitals for allergen emphasis — colour contrast will not…
6 min read
Operations
How to build an ingredient library for labels
An ingredient library is a verified list of every ingredient and compound mix you use, with allergens already mapped. Build it once from supplier specs,…
6 min read
Operations
How to train staff on PPDS labels
Train staff to recognise PPDS packs, never to cover or alter labels, and to escalate recipe or supplier changes. A 20-minute induction plus a refresher when…
6 min read
Operations
How to update labels after a recipe change
When a recipe changes, update the master ingredients list first, regenerate every affected PPDS label, and remove old stock from sale until packs are…
7 min read
Operations
How to check a supplier specification
Read the ingredients list and allergen statement on the specification or pack, compare them with what you declared last time, and update every PPDS label…
7 min read
Operations
How to print PPDS labels on A4
A4 sheets of stickers work for small batches if the text stays legible and the label sticks permanently to the pack. Use bold or capitals for allergen…
7 min read
Operations
How to store master label files
Keep one master ingredients record per product, control who can edit it, and date every change. Masters belong in a shared system staff can trust — not in…
7 min read
Operations
How to handle allergen near-misses in the kitchen
If the wrong ingredient almost went into a PPDS product, stop, discard or relabel as needed, record what happened, and fix the process that allowed it. Do…
7 min read
Operations
How to emphasise allergens on thermal labels
On monochrome thermal printers use bold or capitals for allergen emphasis — colour will not show. Keep font size large enough for x-height rules and never…
7 min read
Operations
How to explain PPDS to new staff in 10 minutes
Teach three ideas: packed before choice means a full ingredients label; made to order is different; never sell a PPDS pack with a missing or homemade…
7 min read
Operations
How to audit your PPDS labels monthly
Once a month, pull five products, compare the printed label to the current recipe and supplier specs, and fix mismatches the same day. Sample high-risk…
7 min read
Operations
How to deal with missing supplier allergen information
Do not guess. Hold the ingredient out of PPDS production until you have a clear ingredients list and allergen information from the supplier or an…
7 min read
Operations
How to choose label size for sandwiches
Pick a label wide enough for a full ingredients list at readable x-height — often 50–62 mm continuous thermal stock for wraps and triangle sandwiches. If…
7 min read
Operations
Can I use AI to write my food labels?
You can use tools to draft formatting, but you remain responsible for accuracy. Any AI output must be checked against your recipes and supplier…
7 min read
Operations
Can I sell PPDS food without a printer?
Yes. Handwritten PPDS labels are allowed if they are clear, permanent and complete. Many small businesses start that way, then move to thermal printing as…
7 min read
Operations
Do I need a food hygiene rating to sell PPDS food?
You need to register as a food business and meet hygiene law. A displayed rating is part of the FHRS scheme — it is separate from Natasha’s Law labelling,…
7 min read
Operations
How to fix a wrong allergen on a printed label
Stop selling the affected packs, correct the master ingredients list, reprint, and only return packs to sale when the new label is attached. Do not cover a…
7 min read
Operations
How to respond to a customer allergen question
For PPDS packs, point to the ingredients list on the pack and do not contradict it from memory. For loose food, use trained staff and up-to-date matrices.…
7 min read
60 guides
US food labeling
US food labeling
FDA food labeling requirements for packaged foods
If you sell packaged food in the United States, FDA labeling usually means a statement of identity, net quantity, an ingredients list in descending weight…
5 min read
US food labeling
FALCPA allergen labeling: what the 2004 Act actually requires
FALCPA requires packaged FDA foods to declare the major food allergens using their common names — either inside the ingredients list or in a Contains…
5 min read
US food labeling
The 9 major food allergens in the United States
US packaged foods must name nine major allergens: milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. That list is…
5 min read
US food labeling
FASTER Act sesame labeling: what changed in 2023
Since 1 January 2023, sesame is a major food allergen in the United States. Packaged FDA foods that contain sesame as an ingredient must name it in plain…
5 min read
US food labeling
How to write an FDA “Contains” statement
A Contains statement is optional if every major allergen is already named in the ingredients list, but if you use one it must sit immediately after that…
5 min read
US food labeling
FDA ingredient list order: descending weight
US ingredient lists run in descending order of predominance by weight at the time of manufacture. Water counts. Compound ingredients should be broken out…
5 min read
US food labeling
Nutrition Facts label requirements (FDA)
Most FDA-packaged foods sold at retail need a Nutrition Facts panel in the current format: serving size, calories, added sugars, nutrients in the 2016 rule,…
5 min read
US food labeling
FDA vs USDA food labeling: who has your product
FDA labels most packaged foods. USDA FSIS labels meat, poultry and processed egg products that meet its jurisdiction. A chicken-and-rice frozen meal can be…
5 min read
US food labeling
Principal display panel: what belongs on the front of a US food pack
The principal display panel (PDP) is the front — the face shoppers see first. FDA expects the statement of identity and the net quantity of contents there.…
5 min read
US food labeling
Information panel: ingredients, allergens and Nutrition Facts
The information panel is immediately to the right of the principal display panel as the pack sits facing you. That is where FDA expects Nutrition Facts, the…
5 min read
US food labeling
Net quantity of contents on FDA food labels
FDA wants the amount of food in the package on the principal display panel, usually in US customary units, in the lower 30 percent of that panel. It is the…
5 min read
US food labeling
Statement of identity: naming the food on a US label
The statement of identity is the common or usual name of the food on the principal display panel. “Cookies”, “apple butter”, “hot sauce” — not only a brand…
5 min read
US food labeling
Name and place of business on US food labels
FDA requires the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer or distributor. A city and state can be enough if the business is listed in a local…
5 min read
US food labeling
Packaged food vs restaurant food labeling in the US
Restaurant food served for immediate consumption does not carry an FDA packaged-food label. The same kitchen’s sealed grab-and-go boxes, shipped meal kits…
5 min read
US food labeling
How to make an FDA food label, panel by panel
Build a US packaged-food label in a fixed order: name the food, state how much is in the pack, list ingredients by weight, name the nine major allergens,…
5 min read
US food labeling
Milk allergen labeling on US food packs
If milk is an ingredient in an FDA-packaged food, FALCPA requires the word milk — whey, casein, butter, cream, lactose-free milk and ghee included when they…
5 min read
US food labeling
Egg allergen labeling on US food packs
Egg as an ingredient must be named as egg on FDA packaged foods — whole egg, yolk, white, dried egg, albumin and many pastas and mayonnaise formulas. An egg…
5 min read
US food labeling
Fish allergen labeling: name the species
FALCPA requires fish to be declared by species — salmon, tuna, cod, anchovy — not only the word seafood. Worcestershire, Caesar dressing and some steak…
5 min read
US food labeling
Crustacean shellfish labeling on US packs
The FALCPA major allergen is Crustacean shellfish — shrimp, crab, lobster — named by type. Clams, mussels, oysters and scallops are molluscs and are not…
5 min read
US food labeling
Tree nut allergen labeling: name the nut
US packs must name the specific tree nut — almond, pecan, walnut, cashew, pistachio, hazelnut, Brazil nut, macadamia, coconut — not only “nuts”. Pine nuts…
5 min read
US food labeling
Peanut allergen labeling on US food packs
Peanuts are a major allergen of their own, not a tree nut. Peanut butter, peanut oil that is not highly refined, peanut flour and satay sauces need the word…
5 min read
US food labeling
Wheat allergen labeling on US food packs
Wheat is the FALCPA cereal. Enriched flour, bread, soy sauce, malt vinegar from wheat, and many spice rubs need the word wheat. Barley and rye are not…
5 min read
US food labeling
Soy allergen labeling on US food packs
Soybeans are a major US allergen. Soy sauce, tofu, miso, soy lecithin, edamame and many “vegetable protein” blends need the word soy. Highly refined soybean…
5 min read
US food labeling
Sesame allergen labeling on US food packs
Sesame must be named on FDA packaged foods that contain it as an ingredient. Tahini, hummus, sesame oil that is not a proven refined exemption, halvah, and…
5 min read
US food labeling
How to label homemade food for sale in the US
Homemade food sold in the United States is labeled under state cottage-food rules plus, when the food is packaged, FDA’s identity, quantity, ingredients and…
5 min read
US food labeling
Cottage food labeling requirements in the US
Cottage-food labels are a state document plus federal allergen and identity rules. Expect the product name, ingredients, major allergens, net weight, your…
5 min read
US food labeling
Farmers market food labeling in the US
Food in a package at a US farmers market still needs a name, what’s in it, major allergens, how much is there, and who made it — plus whatever your state…
5 min read
US food labeling
“May contain” statements on US food labels
FDA does not require “may contain peanut” advisory labels. They are voluntary risk communication for genuine cross-contact you cannot reasonably eliminate.…
5 min read
US food labeling
Gluten-free labeling of foods (FDA)
A US gluten-free claim is a voluntary claim with a mandatory meaning: the food must meet FDA’s 21 CFR 101.91 rule, generally under 20 ppm gluten, without…
5 min read
US food labeling
Added sugars on the US Nutrition Facts panel
The current US Nutrition Facts panel requires an Added Sugars line, in grams and as % Daily Value. Honey, maple syrup, white sugar and syrups in granola…
5 min read
US food labeling
Serving size on FDA Nutrition Facts labels
FDA serving sizes follow Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed, not the portion you wish people ate. A bakery brownie that is 3× the RACC may need…
5 min read
US food labeling
Bioengineered food disclosure (USDA BE label)
The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard is a USDA AMS rule, not an FDA Nutrition Facts line. If a food is BE or contains a BE ingredient above…
5 min read
US food labeling
FDA food label font size and prominence
US food labels must be conspicuous. Net quantity has minimum type sizes that scale with the PDP area. Nutrition Facts has its own type specifications.…
5 min read
US food labeling
When a US recipe changes, update the FDA label
A US label is a snapshot of this formula. Swap chocolate chips, change oil, add tahini, or drop butter, and the ingredients list, Contains line, Nutrition…
5 min read
US food labeling
US vs UK food labeling: the differences that actually matter
The US has nine major allergens and usually wants Nutrition Facts, net quantity and a business address on packaged food. The UK PPDS pack wants the name and…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for US bakeries
A US bakery labels the sealed cookies, sliced cakes and fridge packs as packaged food: name, net quantity, ingredients, the nine majors, address, and…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for US cottage bakers
Cottage bakers in the US print a state home-kitchen disclaimer plus the product name, ingredients, major allergens, net weight and contact name. You do not…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for US meal-prep businesses
Sealed meal-prep bowls sold from a fridge, a vending fridge or a delivery tote are packaged food. They need a name, ingredients, major allergens, net…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for US food trucks
A taco handed through the window is restaurant-style food. A sealed bottle of truck hot sauce, a bag of cookies, or a fridge burrito sold closed is packaged…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for US coffee shops
US coffee shops label the sealed fridge sandwiches, bottled cold brew you fill, and grab-and-go banana bread. Drinks made to order and pastries under a dome…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for US ghost kitchens
A US ghost kitchen that only hands food to a courier for immediate eating behaves like a restaurant. The same kitchen’s sealed meal kits, grocery SKUs and…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for US hot-sauce brands
A US retail hot sauce needs a statement of identity, net quantity in fluid ounces, ingredients in weight order, any major allergens (often none, sometimes…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for granola and cereal in the US
US granola pouches need identity, net weight, ingredients in predominance order, tree-nut and wheat and sesame names when present, Nutrition Facts with an…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for US protein bars
Protein bars are FDA packaged foods with aggressive claims. You still need identity, net weight, ingredients, FALCPA names (milk proteins, soy, peanuts,…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for US subscription boxes
Each packaged item inside a US food subscription box needs its own FDA particulars if it is a packaged food. A packing slip with a week’s menu does not…
5 min read
US food labeling
How to label cookies for sale in the US
Packed US cookies need the name, net weight, ingredients in weight order, major allergens (almost always wheat, usually milk and egg, often soy lecithin,…
5 min read
US food labeling
How to label brownies for sale in the US
Packed brownies follow the same FDA cookie logic: identity, ounces, ingredients, wheat/milk/egg/soy as present, nuts if you added them, address, Nutrition…
5 min read
US food labeling
How to label granola for sale in the US
A US granola pouch needs the name, net weight, oats-first ingredients if oats dominate, nut and sesame names, added sugars from maple or honey, Nutrition…
5 min read
US food labeling
How to label hot sauce for FDA retail sale
Walk a US hot-sauce bottle in this order: name on the front, fluid ounces in the lower band, ingredients on the wrap, allergen names only if you added soy,…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for US kombucha brands
Retail kombucha in the United States is labeled as a packaged beverage: identity, fluid ounces, ingredients (tea, sugar, culture, flavorings), any major…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for US salsa and dips
A US retail salsa or dip jar needs a statement of identity, net quantity (usually ounces of weight or fluid ounces if it is sold by volume), ingredients in…
5 min read
US food labeling
How to label trail mix for FDA retail sale
Trail mix is a FALCPA stress test. A US pouch needs the name, net weight, every nut named as that nut, peanuts kept separate from tree nuts, sesame if it is…
5 min read
US food labeling
How to label nut butter for FDA retail sale
A US jar of peanut, almond or cashew butter needs identity, net weight, ingredients (often just the nut and salt), the specific nut named as a major…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for US baked goods sold online
A cookie tin shipped from a US kitchen is packaged food. The product page is not the label. The tin, sleeve or inner bag that arrives still needs identity,…
5 min read
US food labeling
Food labeling for US frozen meals
A US frozen meal is almost never “just a restaurant leftover in a freezer”. Sealed retail trays need identity, net weight, ingredients, FALCPA names,…
5 min read
US food labeling
How to label candy and confections in the US
US retail candy needs identity, net weight, ingredients, FALCPA names (milk in chocolate, egg in nougat, peanut, tree nuts, soy lecithin, wheat in biscuit…
5 min read
US food labeling
How to label salad jars for US retail sale
A sealed US salad jar in a fridge is packaged food: identity, net weight, ingredients (greens, dressing, cheese, grains, nuts), FALCPA names, Nutrition…
5 min read
US food labeling
Cottage-food Nutrition Facts: when US homemade packs can skip the panel
Many US cottage-food laws let a homemade pack skip a Nutrition Facts panel if you stay inside the state’s product list, sales cap and labeling disclaimer.…
5 min read
US food labeling
FDA small-package Nutrition Facts exemption
FDA lets some very small packages skip a Nutrition Facts panel, or use a simplified version, based on the size of the labelable surface — not based on the…
5 min read
US food labeling
FDA allergen label example: a worked US granola pouch
Here is one US retail pack walked through panel by panel — a 12 oz maple pecan granola pouch — so you can see identity, net weight, ingredients in weight…
5 min read
Reading is the slow way to make a label
Paste an ingredients list into the free generator and see the answer in about a minute.