Vegan Food Allergens

Vegan or plant-based alternatives to watch out for

There are many vegan or plant-based alternatives available, but many of them contain ingredients that are common food allergens. Here are just a few examples of vegan or plant-based alternatives to watch out for. This list does not feature all ingredients. Please remember to check the ingredient label to see if the food is safe for you.

• Tofu

  Tofu is made from soya bean and so it is an important ingredient to avoid for anyone with a soya allergy. Tofu is used in a wide variety of dishes, often as a meat replacement but can also be found in desserts, such as ice cream, or as a scrambled egg alternative.

  Read our Soya factsheet here.

• Tempeh

  Similar to tofu, tempeh is also soya-based and a versatile meat substitute. It can be found in a variety of products including vegan bacon.

• Seitan

  Seitan is sometimes regarded as a good alternative to tofu or tempeh if you have a soya allergy. However, this replacement comes from gluten and is unsuitable for anyone with a wheat allergy. It is often used as a meat alternative and commonly used to replicate chicken.

• Meat Substitutes

  If swapping meat for a substitute, be aware that some alternative ingredients might cause allergic reactions. Concentrated pea, soya and wheat protein is often used in meat substitutes.  Because the protein in these foods is very concentrated, they might cause a more serious reaction if you eat them when you have an allergy to that food. Peas and soya belong to the legume plant family which includes peanuts, chickpeas, lentils and beans. Peas are not in the top 14 UK food allergens so won’t be highlighted in ingredients lists, although they should still be listed.

  Read more about allergy to Legumes

• Quorn

  Quorn is a popular meat substitute made from mycoprotein. There is not very much information about allergic reactions to Quorn, but some people have reported symptoms.

  Read our factsheet about Quorn here.

• Plant-based milk

  There are so many alternatives to dairy milk, however, they often include other potential allergens such as almond, soy and coconut. If you are visiting a café or coffee shop, remember to ask staff about the risk of cross contamination. Unfortunately, some venues will not be able to guarantee an allergen free beverage if they are using the same equipment for all drinks.

• Vegan butter, cheese and yogurt

  Like plant-based milk, butter, cheese and yogurt also comes in dairy-free alternatives, but these can also include other allergens. Be vigilant and double check ingredients and ‘may contain’ labelling.

• Egg replacers

  There are lots of different replacements for egg available made from a variety of different ingredients including aquafaba (chickpea water), nutritional yeast, corn starch and pea protein. Always double check the label for allergen information.