Wheat in the United Kingdom: label rules and introduction guidance

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

The UK list names 'cereals containing gluten', which the FSA describes as including wheat, rye, barley and oats. The retained EU wording names spelt and Khorasan wheat as types of wheat, and it exempts wheat-based glucose syrups, wheat-based maltodextrins, barley glucose syrups and cereals used for alcoholic distillates. On a label the grain itself is named and emphasised, such as 'wheat flour' or 'barley malt extract'. A sandwich packed in the shop that sells it has needed a full ingredient list with the cereal emphasised since October 2021.

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 wheat

The NHS lists foods that contain gluten, including wheat, barley and rye, among the foods that can trigger allergic reactions, introduced one at a time from around 6 months. Bread, pasta and infant cereals mean wheat can appear in several foods quickly, so it helps to note the very first one. The NHS does not give wheat a special preparation note. Coeliac disease is a different condition from wheat allergy; if either runs in your family, mention it to your GP or health visitor before you begin.

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 wheat in the app

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