Guide
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.
Reviewed against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.
The short answer
Sealed dip pots packed before selection are usually PPDS. Sesame from tahini is the classic hummus allergen; mayonnaise-based dips bring egg and mustard.
Decide PPDS using the FSA packing-before-selection test, then put name and ingredients with allergen emphasis on packs that meet it.
How to apply it
Sealed dip pots packed before selection are usually PPDS. Sesame from tahini is the classic hummus allergen; mayonnaise-based dips bring egg and mustard. Decide PPDS using the FSA packing-before-selection test, then put name and ingredients with allergen emphasis on packs that meet it. Walk the product in front of you against the checklist below before you print. The mistake to refuse is: Tahini is sesame.
- Emphasise sesame in hummus with tahini
- Break out flavoured mix-ins
- Watch yoghurt dips for milk
- Garlic and oil still belong on the list
Worked example
Worked example for “How to label hummus and dips”: take one real SKU you sell this week. Apply the first check — emphasise sesame in hummus with tahini. Then contrast it with break out flavoured mix-ins. 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. (Sealed dip pots packed before selection are usually PPDS.)
Checklist before you print
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Emphasise sesame in hummus with tahini | For “How to label hummus and dips”, “Emphasise sesame in hummus with tahini” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Break out flavoured mix-ins | For “How to label hummus and dips”, “Break out flavoured mix-ins” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Watch yoghurt dips for milk | For “How to label hummus and dips”, “Watch yoghurt dips for milk” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Garlic and oil still belong on the list | For “How to label hummus and dips”, “Garlic and oil still belong on the list” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
Assuming hummus is allergen-light
Tahini is sesame.
Go deeper
Next: Allergens in hummus. Sesame and variants. Then paste your ingredients into the free generator and confirm allergens before you print.
Questions
Do open deli tubs of hummus need PPDS labels?
What about bought-in hummus decanted into your pots?
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.
- Introduction to allergen labelling for PPDS foodFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK
- Labelling guidance for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food productsFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK
- Food allergen labelling and information requirements technical guidanceFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK
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