Food Manager Prep / The Big 9 allergens: the major food allergens
The Big 9 allergens: the major food allergens
Updated October 2026 · Based on the FDA Food Code 2022 (the edition the exams follow) and the new 2026 edition
Nine foods cause most serious food allergies in the United States, and FDA calls them the major food allergens. A food protection manager must be able to name all nine, describe the symptoms of a reaction, and keep allergens out of food where the customer does not expect them.
The nine major food allergens
| Milk | Butter, cheese, cream, many sauces and baked goods |
|---|---|
| Eggs | Mayonnaise, batters, meringue, fresh pasta |
| Fish | Finfish, and stocks or sauces made from fish |
| Crustacean shellfish | Crab, lobster, shrimp (the Food Code names these three) |
| Tree nuts | For example almonds, pecans, walnuts |
| Peanuts | Peanut butter, some sauces and desserts |
| Wheat | Flour, bread, breading, many thickened sauces |
| Soybeans | Tofu, soy sauce, edamame |
| Sesame | Sesame seeds, tahini, sesame toppings on breads |
"Big 9" is exam vocabulary. The FDA Food Code defines "major food allergen" in section 1-201.10 with the same list, and excludes highly refined oils made from those foods.
Why sesame was added
For years the list had eight foods. The FASTER Act, signed on April 23, 2021, made sesame the ninth major food allergen, and packaged foods have had to declare it since January 1, 2023. Older study material that lists eight allergens is out of date. The 2022 Food Code already includes sesame in its definition.
What the Food Code expects of the manager
Section 2-102.11(C)(9) lists allergen knowledge among the things a person in charge must be able to explain to an inspector: describe the major food allergens and the symptoms that a major food allergen could cause in a sensitive person. FDA's Food Allergies page describes those symptoms in detail. On the exam, expect questions that ask you to recognize an allergic reaction and act on it.
Preventing cross-contact
Cross-contact is when an allergen gets into a food that should not contain it: a knife used on peanut butter, then on a jelly sandwich; fryer oil shared between shrimp and fries. Cooking does not remove an allergen, so the only defense is separation and cleaning. The general Food Code rules a manager applies to allergens:
- Clean and sanitize food-contact surfaces after any possible contamination (4-602.11), before switching to the allergen-free order.
- Wash hands when changing tasks and before putting on gloves (2-301.14). Use single-use gloves for one task only (3-304.15).
- Label working containers with the common name of the food unless it is unmistakable (3-302.12), so nobody uses the almond flour by mistake.
- Store separately and keep wiping cloths for different tasks apart (3-304.14).
These are general contamination rules applied to allergens. Your state or local code may add specific allergen rules, such as menu notices or staff training; check the text your health department adopted.
Service: when a guest says they have an allergy
- Take it seriously and tell the person in charge or the cook directly.
- Check the recipe and every ingredient label, including sauces, garnishes and frying oil.
- Prepare the order with cleaned and sanitized equipment, washed hands and fresh gloves.
- Keep the plate separate and deliver it on its own.
- If you cannot be sure the dish is free of the allergen, say so.
How allergens show up on the exam
- Pick the item that is not a major allergen (for example a highly refined oil, or a food not on the list).
- Recognize sesame as the 9th allergen.
- Spot the cross-contact in a scenario: shared utensils, shared oil, unwashed hands.
- Know that cooking does not make an allergen safe.
Next: the Big 6 foodborne illnesses, or try the free practice test.