Allergen
Crustaceans on UK food labels
Crustaceans is one of the 14 allergens that must be declared when it is an ingredient of PPDS food. On the label, emphasise it every time it appears in the ingredients list — and use the wording customers and inspectors recognise.
Reviewed against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.
How to name it on the label
Official wording: Crustaceans. On the pack, use: Crustaceans (prawns, crab, lobster).
Watch for
Crustaceans and molluscs are two separate allergens. “Shellfish” is not precise enough for a label.Where it hides
- Prawns, crab, lobster, langoustine, crayfish
- Prawn crackers
- Some fish stocks and bisques
- Shrimp paste in Southeast Asian sauces
Traps
The kitchen trap
Crustaceans and molluscs are two separate allergens. “Shellfish” is not precise enough for a label.
Compound ingredients
If crustaceans arrives inside chocolate, sauce, stock or a mix, break that compound ingredient out so the allergen still appears in the list.
How to label it
- Confirm whether crustaceans is an intentional ingredient (including inside mixes).
- Use the label name: Crustaceans (prawns, crab, lobster).
- Emphasise it every time it appears — bold or capitals survive thermal printers.
- Do not replace the ingredients list with a symbol or a separate allergen box alone.
Questions
Do I declare crustaceans if it is only a trace?
Is a symbol enough for crustaceans?
Official sources
Everything on this page traces back to these. Where they and we disagree, they are right — tell us and we'll fix it.
- Labelling guidance for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food productsFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK
- Food allergen labelling and information requirements technical guidanceFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK
- Food labelling: giving food information to consumersGOV.UK
Also see: The 14 allergens · Allergen label generator · How to emphasise allergens · Eggs