Allergen menu tool
FDA Top 9 Allergen Menu Tool
AllerIQ builds a digital allergen menu structured around the FDA's nine major food allergens. Every dish is auto-mapped, every allergen is labeled, and guests can filter your entire menu by any combination of the Top 9 — from any device, via QR code.
What are the FDA Top 9 food allergens?
The FDA identifies nine major food allergens that are responsible for the vast majority of serious allergic reactions in the United States. These allergens are regulated under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) and the FASTER Act, which added sesame as the ninth allergen effective January 1, 2023.
Milk
Includes dairy products — butter, cheese, cream, yogurt, whey.
Eggs
Chicken eggs and egg-derived ingredients across all preparations.
Fish
All species of finfish — bass, flounder, cod, salmon, tuna, and others.
Shellfish
Crustaceans including shrimp, crab, lobster, and crayfish.
Tree nuts
Almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, and others.
Peanuts
Peanuts and peanut-derived ingredients including peanut oil and peanut flour.
Wheat
Wheat and wheat derivatives, including many forms of flour and starch.
Soybeans
Soy and soy-derived ingredients including soy sauce, tofu, and edamame.
Sesame
Sesame seeds and sesame-derived ingredients including tahini and sesame oil.
AllerIQ's allergen-safe digital menus are structured around all nine of these allergens by default — including sesame, which many older allergen tools still do not include.
Why restaurants need a structured FDA Top 9 allergen menu
Most restaurants do not have a clear, dish-level view of which FDA Top 9 allergens appear across their menu. Allergen information often lives in the heads of individual kitchen staff or in ingredient notes that aren't consistently updated.
This creates real problems when a guest with a food allergy sits down and asks: "Does this dish contain tree nuts?" Without a structured allergen menu, the answer requires a trip to the kitchen, a check of the recipe file, or — worse — an educated guess.
AllerIQ's FDA Top 9 allergen menu tool gives your team a single verified reference point for every dish, and gives guests a self-service way to check allergen content before ordering.
- Reduces reliance on staff memory for allergen information
- Provides consistent allergen answers across every shift
- Includes sesame as a standard allergen (required since January 2023)
- Updates allergen mapping automatically when your menu changes
- Supports "may contain" disclosures for cross-contact risks
How AllerIQ auto-maps the FDA Top 9 allergens
When you import your menu into AllerIQ, the system reads each dish's ingredient list and cross-references it against a comprehensive database of the FDA Top 9 allergens and their common derivatives. The result is a per-dish allergen map that shows exactly which of the nine allergens each dish contains.
Allergen is present as a direct ingredient in this dish.
Allergen is not a direct ingredient, but cross-contact is possible due to shared equipment or prep surfaces.
Allergen is not present in the dish's ingredients and cross-contact risk is low.
Guests filtering by a specific allergen see only dishes marked "Clear" — so they can make informed choices without needing to read through every ingredient list themselves.
Share your FDA Top 9 allergen menu via QR code
Once your FDA Top 9 allergen menu is published in AllerIQ, guests access it through a QR code allergy menu that works on any smartphone — no app download required. They scan, select their allergens, and see a filtered view of your menu instantly.
Your QR code updates automatically every time your menu changes. One code, always current, no reprinting required.
Learn about QR code allergy menusImportant: AllerIQ helps restaurants organize and communicate allergen information based on the FDA Top 9 framework, but it does not constitute legal compliance advice. AllerIQ does not replace proper food safety practices, ingredient verification, staff training, or cross-contact prevention procedures. Consult your local health authority for specific regulatory requirements applicable to your venue.
Related pages
Allergen Safe Menus
Full allergen-safe menu platform.
Restaurant Allergy Menu Software
Manage allergens across your whole menu.
QR Code Allergy Menu
Share your allergen menu via QR code.
Allergen Menu Template
Start with a ready-to-use template.
FDA Top 9 Allergens Explained
In-depth allergen guide for restaurants.
How to Label Allergens on a Menu
Practical guide to allergen labeling.
Frequently asked questions
What are the FDA Top 9 allergens?
The FDA Top 9 food allergens are: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. These nine allergens account for the vast majority of serious food allergy reactions in the United States. The FDA Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) and the FASTER Act require clear labeling of these allergens on packaged foods.
Are restaurants required to disclose the FDA Top 9 allergens?
Federal labeling laws primarily apply to packaged food manufacturers. However, many states have their own restaurant allergen disclosure requirements, and FDA guidance encourages restaurants to communicate allergen information clearly. Beyond legal requirements, clear allergen disclosure is an important food safety practice and builds guest trust.
When was sesame added to the FDA Top 9?
Sesame was added as the ninth major food allergen under the FASTER Act, signed into law in 2021, with mandatory labeling effective from January 1, 2023. AllerIQ includes sesame as a standard allergen filter in all menus.
How does AllerIQ handle the FDA Top 9 allergens?
AllerIQ auto-maps every dish on your menu against all nine FDA allergens. When you import your menu, the system cross-references your ingredient list and flags which allergens are present in each dish. "May contain" disclosures are added automatically for cross-contact risks.
Can guests filter by multiple FDA allergens at once?
Yes. Guests using an AllerIQ digital allergen menu can select multiple allergens simultaneously. The menu filters to show only dishes free from all selected allergens — plus discloses any "may contain" cross-contact risks.
Does AllerIQ support allergens beyond the FDA Top 9?
AllerIQ's core filtering is built around the FDA Top 9. If your restaurant serves guests with less common allergen needs, your team can add notes or custom allergen information to individual dish descriptions.
Build your FDA Top 9 allergen menu.
Import your menu, auto-map all nine FDA allergens, and share via QR code in under 30 minutes. Free plan available.