The Importance of Listing Ingredients with Food Allergies

As many of you with food allergies probably struggle, many restaurants fail to clearly label allergens. If I’m lucky, I’ll find a restaurant menu that labels most of the bigger allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, soy, etc.) when it comes to food allergies and sensitivities that are less common, it’s scarce to find any labeling.

In 2021, I had an allergic reaction at a restaurant that failed to label an allergen on its menu, and I did not double-check before ordering. While some of the blame lies on me for not double-checking, precise and up-to-date labeling on their menu would’ve prevented this allergic reaction from happening in the first place.

Confusion because of changed label

I got together with some family for my birthday and wanted food from a nearby vegan Mexican restaurant. I’ve eaten food from there before and enjoyed it. They had a vegan carne asada burrito on their menu, but before, there was a note on the bottom of that item that contained tree nuts, so I had never tried it.

When I checked the menu, I saw the label was removed. I thought that was great and must have removed or swapped whatever the item in the burrito was that was the reason for the tree nut label. So I ordered it, and I'm glad I could finally try it.

Telltale symptoms of an allergic reaction

It was a delicious burrito! I ate the whole thing with the rice, beans, chips, and salsa on the side. Usually, when I have a reaction to a food allergen, I feel the tingling in my throat and mouth almost instantly. I thought that because I could finish my food, I would be okay, and they were right to take the nut allergy symbol off that menu item.

Maybe five or so minutes after finishing my food, I noticed the telltale symptoms show up. The throat and mouth tingling, a massive stomach ache, and after drinking some water in hopes of calming all of these symptoms down, I ran to the bathroom and threw up everything that I had just eaten. That was followed by an increase in the throat and mouth tingling, so I took some Benadryl and just let time do its thing while the discomfort eventually went away.

Checking for allergens

Their website has zero labeling of allergens on their menu, whereas in the past there was some (albeit not complete). I don’t know if this means they’ve swapped their nut-based products for nut-free ones or omitted the allergen labeling altogether. If they did change their products to nut-free ones, that is great, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any allergens on their menu. Soy is a significant allergen for many people, and I know that some (if not all) of their protein options are soy-based. Chances are that burritos use flour tortillas as well.

Picking a place with clearly labeled menus

I understand that no business has to cater to every single one of its customers. After all, we’re all so different, so that might be difficult. However, it is in the best interest of any restaurant or place that handles food to be very clear if its food contains common allergens. Food allergy reactions can easily be life-threatening, and while the customer is responsible for asking if they have any concerns, having common allergens clearly labeled on a restaurant menu should be the bare minimum.