Fish in the United Kingdom: label rules and introduction guidance

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

Fish is one of the FSA's 14 allergens. The retained EU entry has two exemptions: fish gelatine used as a carrier for vitamin or carotenoid preparations, and fish gelatine or isinglass used as a fining agent in beer and wine. Crustaceans and molluscs are separate allergens, so fish emphasised in an ingredient list does not tell you about prawns or mussels, which are declared under their own entries. A fish pie or fishcake packed for direct sale in the shop that made it must now show fish, emphasised, on a full ingredient list.

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 fish

The NHS names fish in its list of foods that can trigger allergic reactions and asks parents to introduce these foods one at a time from around 6 months, so that a reaction can be spotted. Fish sits on that list separately from shellfish, and the NHS's warning about raw or lightly cooked food is aimed at shellfish rather than fish. If there is a history of fish allergy in your family, speak to your GP or health visitor before the first taste.

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 fish in the app

The UK and EU lists match, so UK families get the same 14-allergen schedule as the EU. In the schedule, fish appears as Fish. 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. Log the species, salmon or cod rather than 'fish', since reactions and labels are both specific. 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.