Start with the factory, not the lab. List every allergen handled on the site, see how lines and equipment are shared and cleaned, then test samples for the allergens your label says are absent.
Allergen problems are a major cause of food recalls. In Indian processed foods the usual risks are peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, mustard, milk and gluten, often on shared fryers, mixers and packing machines.
Know which allergens your market lists
The EU and UK list 14 allergens. The US lists nine major food allergens, with sesame added most recently. Other markets have their own lists. Your label and your checks must follow the market where the food is sold. EU label rules are covered in labelling rules for Indian processed foods in the EU.
What to check at the factory
- An allergen register for the site, listing every allergen in raw materials, recipes and rework.
- Supplier declarations for each raw material, including hidden sources such as compounded asafoetida, which often contains wheat flour.
- Separate, labelled storage for allergen ingredients.
- Production order: allergen-free products run first, allergen products later, with a clean down in between.
- Cleaning procedures for shared lines, and checks that cleaning works, such as swab tests.
- Control of rework, so leftover product with nuts does not end up in a nut-free batch.
- Shared fryer oil, which can carry allergens from one product to the next.
- Label control at packing, so the right label goes on the right product.
Testing samples
Lab tests, often ELISA or PCR methods, can detect specific allergens such as peanut, gluten, milk, sesame or mustard. Test for the allergens your label leaves out and that are present on the site. Results depend on the method and the limit of detection, so ask the lab to state both. How to read a lab certificate explains what to check on the report.
A single clean result does not prove a process is safe. Test at intervals, and after any change in recipe, line or cleaning method. Draw samples from the first packs after a changeover as well as from the middle of the run, since cross-contact is often highest just after switching products. Keep retained samples from each batch.
Precautionary statements
Phrases such as "may contain" should follow a real risk assessment, not be added to everything. Some retailers restrict their use. Agree with the factory when such a statement is justified, and keep the evidence. Review it whenever the factory adds a new product or line.
How we help
Our factory audits include an allergen walk through, from raw material store to packing line. We draw samples for allergen testing at NABL-accredited labs and check label control during pre-shipment inspection. Ask for a free sourcing review.