Labeling of Major Food Allergens and Petitions for Exemption

The Federal Alcohol Administration Act (FAA Act) at 27 U.S.C. 205(e) authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to issue regulations regarding the labeling of distilled spirits, wines containing 7 percent or more alcohol by volume, and beer that is made with both malted barley and hops in order to, among other things, prohibit consumer deception and ensure that labels provide consumers with adequate information as to the identity and quality of such products. Under that authority, the TTB regulations provide for the voluntary labeling of major food allergens used in the production of such alcohol beverages. (As defined in the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (118 Stat. 905), the major food allergens are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans.) Under the TTB regulations, if an alcohol beverage bottler declares any one major food allergen contained in a product or used in its production, the bottler must declare all such allergens, including those used as fining or processing agents. However, the regulations allow a bottler to petition TTB for a labeling exemption for an allergen if evidence shows that, while used in the product's production, it is not present in the finished product at levels that would pose a risk to human health. This information collection allows bottlers to alert consumers sensitive to major food allergens to their presence in finished alcohol beverages while allowing bottlers to avoid consumer confusion by exempting from disclosure allergens that, while used in a product’s production, are not present in the finished product at levels that would pose a risk to human health.

The latest form for Labeling of Major Food Allergens and Petitions for Exemption expires 2027-06-30 and can be found here.

Labeling of Major Food Allergens

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Health - Consumer Health and Safety