U.S. (Big 9)
- Milk
- Egg
- Fish
- Crustacean shellfish (shrimp, crab, etc.)
- Tree nuts (almond, walnut, hazelnut, pistachio, cashew, pecan, etc.)
- Peanuts
- Wheat
- Soy
- Sesame
EU (14 Allergens)
- Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut)
- Crustaceans
- Eggs
- Fish
- Peanuts
- Soybeans
- Milk
- Nuts (almond, hazelnut, walnut, cashew, pecan, Brazil nut, pistachio, macadamia)
- Celery
- Mustard
- Sesame
- Sulphur dioxide/sulphites (over 10 mg/kg or L)
- Lupin
- Molluscs
Key Differences & Tips
- The U.S. groups “shellfish” together but separates crustaceans (like shrimp and crab) from molluscs (like mussels and clams) differently than the EU. Always check with guests about which types are safe for them.
- The EU includes extra allergens—celery, mustard, sulphites, lupin, and molluscs—that are common in European kitchens.
- The EU treats all gluten-containing cereals as one big category.
Read next: Cross-Contact (not the same as cross-contamination)