Soy in Australia and New Zealand: label rules and introduction guidance

Is soy on the FSANZ allergen list?

The Food Standards Code accepts three required names for this allergen: soy, soya and soybean. Whichever is used must appear in bold in the ingredient list and in the bold 'Contains' statement, so soy lecithin in a chocolate or soy flour in a biscuit is visible at a glance. As with other allergens, the Code includes some product exemptions for foods processed so that they are safe for people with allergies, and FSANZ publishes those exemptions separately.

Standard 1.2.3 and Schedule 9 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code require allergens to be declared using set 'required names'. Under the Plain English Allergen Labelling (PEAL) rules in force since 25 February 2024, each allergen appears in bold in the statement of ingredients and again in a bold summary statement beginning with 'Contains', placed next to the ingredients. Food labelled before that date under the old rules could stay on sale until 25 February 2026. 'May contain' statements are voluntary and not regulated by the Code.

• FSANZ: Allergen labelling for food businesses

What ASCIA guidance says about introducing soy

ASCIA's Recommendation 5 names soy among the common food allergens to introduce in the first year, prioritising foods in the family's usual diet, with very low certainty of evidence. A separate recommendation deals with formula: Recommendation 14 says soy-based infant formula is not recommended for the prevention of food allergy. That is about formula choice, not about soy foods such as tofu. Once soy is in, Recommendation 9 says to keep offering it at least once a week unless there has been a reaction. Your doctor can advise if your baby has a cow's milk allergy.

ASCIA, the peak professional body of clinical immunology and allergy specialists in Australia and New Zealand, published its updated Guideline: Infant Feeding for Food Allergy Prevention in 2026. It recommends starting solids when your baby shows signs of developmental readiness, usually around 6 months and not before 4 months, introducing only one new common allergen at a meal, and continuing to offer each allergen at least once a week once it is in, unless there has been an allergic reaction.

• ASCIA Guideline: Infant Feeding for Food Allergy Prevention (2026), summary of recommendations

Logging soy in the app

Set your region to Australia / New Zealand and the app's allergen schedule follows the FSANZ list. In the schedule, soy appears as Soy. 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 the food, such as tofu or soy yoghurt, rather than just 'soy', so repeat offerings are easy to line up. 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.