Milk in the United Kingdom: label rules and introduction guidance

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

Milk is one of the FSA's 14 allergens, and the retained EU wording includes lactose. The same list carries two narrow exemptions, whey used to make alcoholic distillates and lactitol. Every other milk ingredient, from butter and cream to whey powder, must be emphasised in the ingredient list. For families, the rule matters on shop-made food too: a cheese scone packed at an in-store bakery for direct sale needs a full ingredient list under Natasha's Law, and a café must be able to tell you about milk in a loose item.

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 milk

The NHS lists cows' milk among the foods that can trigger allergic reactions and advises introducing these foods one at a time from around 6 months, so that any reaction can be spotted. For babies who already have a cows' milk allergy and are not being breastfed, the NHS says a special formula may be needed, and your GP can advise which one. If you are unsure whether a symptom is linked to milk, write down what you saw and when, and take it to your GP or health visitor.

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 milk in the app

The UK and EU lists match, so UK families get the same 14-allergen schedule as the EU. 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.