What the law says about egg
Egg is one of the 14 allergens Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 requires to be declared. When an ingredient comes from egg, the label must say so and emphasise it, even if the ingredient has a technical name.
Annex II of the regulation reads "eggs and products thereof". So declaring whole egg is not enough: every ingredient derived from egg is covered, whatever it is called.
In the ingredient list the allergen must stand out, usually in bold. If an ingredient has a technical name that does not suggest egg, the label has to add its source — for example "lysozyme (egg)".
The names to recognise
Most are easy: egg, egg white, egg yolk, dried egg. The hard ones are those that do not contain the word "egg".
Lysozyme (E1105): an enzyme from egg white, used in some hard cheeses. Ovalbumin and egg albumin: egg-white proteins. Egg lecithin: an emulsifier, although lecithin (E322) usually comes from soy.
Watch out for plain "albumin": it can also come from milk, so on its own it does not tell you the source. When it is from egg, the law requires the label to say so.
The protein behind the allergy is found mostly in the white, but also in the yolk. That is why people are generally advised to avoid the whole egg, not just one part of it.
Foods where you might not expect it
Cakes and desserts are obvious. Less obvious are mayonnaise, dressings, fresh pasta, glazes and anything battered or breadcrumbed.
Also on the list: ice cream, some meat products, some sweets, meringue, and baked goods brushed with egg before baking to make them shine.
In a compound ingredient, such as mayonnaise inside a salad, egg must be named within that ingredient’s brackets. Food sold loose, at a bakery or a cake shop, has no printed list — but the allergen information must still be given to you, so ask.
How Ingredo.app reads it with the Egg allergy profile
The app checks two things: the ingredients it knows as egg, and the word "egg" wherever it appears in the text of the list, including inside brackets.
Hard block
- Egg, egg white, egg yolk, dried egg, ovalbumin, lysozyme and E1105.
- Any ingredient that names egg in the list, such as "egg lecithin" or "lysozyme (egg)", and any egg the source itself declares.
Caution
- "May contain traces of egg": flagged as a caution, not a block, because it does not declare an ingredient.
- Plain "albumin" with no source, or "mayonnaise"/"meringue" with no egg in its brackets: the app may not recognise it, so check the pack.
Not counted as egg
- Phrases such as "egg-free" or "no egg" never turn into declared egg — and neither does eggplant.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. "Eggs and products thereof" is one of the 14 allergens in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 1169/2011, and it must be emphasised in the ingredient list.
Yes. Lysozyme (E1105) comes from egg white and is used in some hard cheeses. As an egg product, it must be declared as an allergen.
The allergy is caused by proteins found mostly in the white, but also in the yolk. That is why the general advice is to avoid the whole egg. Follow your doctor’s advice.
In most children it resolves by itself, usually by school age, though those with more severe reactions may take longer. It should be managed under medical guidance.