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

Is wheat on the FSANZ allergen list?

FSANZ requires wheat, and hybrids such as triticale, to be declared as 'wheat' in both the ingredient list and the summary statement. If the wheat contains gluten, 'gluten' must also appear in the summary statement, so a loaf reads 'Contains wheat, gluten'. Barley, oats and rye are declared by their own names, with gluten in the summary, only when they contain gluten. That split between the grain and gluten is more explicit than the EU and UK approach of a single 'cereals containing gluten' entry.

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 wheat

ASCIA's Recommendation 5 names wheat among the common food allergens parents should introduce in the first year of life, prioritising foods that are part of the family's usual diet. ASCIA rates the evidence behind this recommendation as very low, a distinction it is candid about. Once wheat is in, Recommendation 9 says to keep offering it at least once a week unless there is an allergic reaction. For most families wheat arrives through bread, pasta or infant cereal. Coeliac disease is a separate condition; ask your doctor if it runs in your family.

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 wheat in the app

Set your region to Australia / New Zealand and the app's allergen schedule follows the FSANZ list. In the schedule, wheat appears as Wheat (cereals containing gluten). 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. Wheat often arrives in several foods in one week; logging each one keeps the first exposure clear. 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.