Egg in the United Kingdom: label rules and introduction guidance

Is egg on the UK's list of 14 allergens?

Eggs are one of the FSA's 14 allergens, carried over from the EU list with no exemptions. Egg must be emphasised wherever it appears in the ingredient list of prepacked food, including when it is used as a glaze or binder. Since October 2021, an egg sandwich or a quiche made and packed on the premises for direct sale needs a full ingredient list with egg emphasised. In a restaurant or at a deli counter, the business must provide allergen information about egg, either in writing or verbally with a clear notice telling you how to ask.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) lists the same 14 allergens as the EU; the EU rules were kept when the UK left and are now assimilated law. On prepacked food, an allergen must be emphasised each time it appears in the ingredient list. Food prepacked for direct sale, packed on the same premises that sell it, needs a full ingredient list with allergens emphasised, the rule known as Natasha's Law since October 2021. Loose food still needs allergen information, given in writing or verbally with a clear written notice.

• Food Standards Agency: Allergen guidance for food businesses

What NHS guidance says about introducing egg

The NHS includes eggs in its list of foods that can trigger allergic reactions, introduced from around 6 months, with one practical note: eggs without a red lion stamp should not be eaten raw or lightly cooked. It also says that delaying hen's egg beyond 6 to 12 months may increase the risk of developing an egg allergy, so the UK approach is not to wait. As with other allergens, egg is introduced on its own as a new food so any reaction can be spotted. Talk to your GP or health visitor first if your baby has eczema or a family history of allergy.

In the UK, the NHS advises introducing the foods that can trigger allergic reactions one at a time from around 6 months, so that you can spot any reaction. If your baby has eczema or there is a family history of allergy, the NHS suggests talking to your GP or health visitor first.

• NHS: Food allergies in babies and young children

Logging egg in the app

The UK and EU lists match, so UK families get the same 14-allergen schedule as the EU. In the schedule, egg appears as Eggs. Each allergen entry moves from not started to introduced, cleared or reaction, and the 14-day window keeps new foods spaced out so a delayed reaction is easier to match to a food. Note whether the egg was cooked through or baked into something, since your doctor may ask. If you see a symptom, log it with its severity; the paediatrician report gathers the dates into one PDF for your next appointment. It is a record for you and your doctor, not a diagnosis.