Milk in the European Union: label rules and introduction guidance

Is milk on the EU's list of 14 allergens?

Annex II lists 'milk and products thereof (including lactose)' as item 7. The inclusion of lactose is unusual: it means a lactose-containing ingredient triggers the allergen rule even though lactose is a sugar, not a milk protein. Two exemptions apply, whey used for making alcoholic distillates and lactitol. Every other milk ingredient, from butter and cream to milk powder and whey, must be emphasised in the ingredient list. The regulation does not spell out which animals' milk counts, so labels normally name the source, such as goat's milk.

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers lists 14 substances or products in Annex II. Article 21 requires each one to be emphasised in the list of ingredients through a typeset that clearly distinguishes it, for example by font, style or background colour. Where a food has no ingredient list, the label uses the word 'contains' followed by the allergen's name.

• EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex II (consolidated text)

What EFSA guidance says about introducing milk

EFSA's 2019 opinion did not name milk among its example allergenic foods, but its plain-language summary is specific about one milk point: foods given to infants should comply with national feeding recommendations, for example to avoid salt, sugar or unmodified cow's milk. In other words, cow's milk as a main drink is a matter for national guidance, while milk as an ingredient falls under the general conclusion that allergenic foods can be introduced with other complementary foods. If your baby has reacted to formula, your paediatrician is the person to ask about milk products.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed about 300 scientific publications for its 2019 opinion on when complementary foods can be introduced. EFSA's opinion is scientific advice to EU risk managers; recommendations to the public are issued by the health authorities of each Member State, so the plan your paediatrician follows may come from a national guideline.

• EFSA: Appropriate age range for introduction of complementary feeding into an infant's diet (2019)
• EFSA: Age to start complementary feeding of infants (plain-language summary)

Logging milk in the app

Set your region to the European Union and the app's allergen schedule follows the 14 Annex II allergens. In the schedule, milk appears as Milk. 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 it was yoghurt, cheese or milk cooked into food, so the record shows the form as well as the date. 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.