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Guide

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 in the flour still needs emphasis.

Reviewed against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.

The short answer

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 in the flour still needs emphasis.

Emphasise Annex II allergens inside the ingredients list — bold, capitals, colour or underline — as set out in FSA allergen labelling guidance.

How to apply it

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 in the flour still needs emphasis. Emphasise Annex II allergens inside the ingredients list — bold, capitals, colour or underline — as set out in FSA allergen labelling guidance. Walk the product in front of you against the checklist below before you print. The mistake to refuse is: Read the mix bag.

  • Emphasise WHEAT (or the grain used)
  • Emphasise SESAME when used
  • List pumpkin, sunflower, linseed plainly
  • Watch egg glaze on rolls

Worked example

Worked example for “How should I label seeded bread?”: take one real SKU you sell this week. Apply the first check — emphasise WHEAT (or the grain used). Then contrast it with emphasise SESAME when used. Write the name of the food and the full ingredients list from today’s recipe and supplier specs, emphasise every Annex II allergen each time it appears, and only then print. If the pack in your hand does not match that list, it is not ready for sale. (List the seeds actually used.)

Checklist before you print

CheckWhy it matters
Emphasise WHEAT (or the grain used)For “How should I label seeded bread?”, “Emphasise WHEAT (or the grain used)” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell.
Emphasise SESAME when usedFor “How should I label seeded bread?”, “Emphasise SESAME when used” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell.
List pumpkin, sunflower, linseed plainlyFor “How should I label seeded bread?”, “List pumpkin, sunflower, linseed plainly” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell.
Watch egg glaze on rollsFor “How should I label seeded bread?”, “Watch egg glaze on rolls” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell.

Assuming seeds are always sesame

Read the mix bag.

Go deeper

Next: Sesame on food labels. Bakery sesame traps. Then paste your ingredients into the free generator and confirm allergens before you print.

Questions

Do I emphasise sunflower seeds?
Sunflower seeds are not one of the 14. List them; emphasise sesame, wheat, milk or egg when those are present.
What if sesame is only on top?
It is still an ingredient of the bread — emphasise it.

Official sources

Everything on this page traces back to these. Where they and we disagree, they are right — tell us and we'll fix it.