Most food scanners look for the obvious words: “milk,” “wheat,” “peanuts,” “tree nuts.” If the ingredient list literally contains those words, the scanner flags it. Otherwise, green light.
That’s how millions of people with severe allergies get glutened/dairied/exposed to nuts despite using a food scanner app. The food industry doesn’t always say “wheat” or “milk” — they use derivative names that mean the same thing chemically but slip past surface-level scanners.
This article is the comprehensive reference. For each major allergen, the actual ingredient names that contain it. Bookmark this — it’s the document your scanner should already know.
Why this matters
If you have celiac disease, even a few mg of gluten can trigger an immune response that damages your small intestine for weeks (see the Celiac Disease Foundation overview). If you have a severe milk allergy, a trace of casein causes anaphylaxis. The labels matter at the parts-per-million level — the FDA Food Allergens guidance explains why thresholds are so strict.
The EU’s “Top 14 Allergens” labeling regulation (EU/1169/2011) requires the major allergens to be highlighted. But it doesn’t require derivatives to be labeled in plain language — manufacturers can still use technical names that the law allows but consumers don’t recognize.
Gluten / Wheat
The obvious: wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale, malt, breadcrumbs, semolina, durum, kamut, einkorn.
The derivatives that get people:
| Ingredient | Why it contains gluten |
|---|---|
| Modified food starch (US) | Often wheat-derived. EU rules require source labeling; US doesn’t. |
| Hydrolyzed wheat protein | Pure wheat protein |
| Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) | Often wheat |
| Vital wheat gluten | Wheat gluten concentrate |
| Bulgur, couscous, farina, freekeh | All wheat |
| Atta, maida, suji | Indian wheat flour names |
| Brewer’s yeast | Often wheat-derived |
| Maltodextrin (in some EU countries) | If derived from wheat (rare but check) |
| Malt extract / malt syrup / malt vinegar / malt flavoring | All barley |
| Dextrin (vs maltodextrin) | Sometimes wheat |
| Soy sauce | Almost always wheat-fermented (look for tamari for gluten-free) |
| Teriyaki sauce | Wheat (soy sauce base) |
| Worcestershire sauce | Wheat (in malt vinegar) |
| Beer, lagers, ales | Barley (gluten-free beers exist) |
| Communion wafers | Wheat |
| Imitation crab meat (surimi) | Wheat-bound |
| Some salad dressings | Wheat thickeners or modified food starch |
| ”Natural flavors” | Sometimes wheat-derived (rare; ask manufacturer) |
| Seitan | Pure wheat gluten |
For celiacs traveling internationally, also watch for:
- Italian: farro, frumento, grano, segale (wheat, rye)
- French: blé, seigle, orge, épeautre, fécule de blé
- Spanish: trigo, cebada, centeno, espelta
- German: Weizen, Gerste, Roggen, Dinkel
Milk / Dairy / Lactose
The obvious: milk, cream, butter, cheese, yogurt, whey, casein, lactose.
The derivatives:
| Ingredient | What it is |
|---|---|
| Casein, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate | Pure milk protein |
| Whey, whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate | Milk-derived |
| Lactalbumin, lactoglobulin | Milk proteins |
| Lactose, lactulose | Milk sugars |
| Lactic acid, lactate | Often dairy-derived (sometimes plant) |
| Ghee | Clarified butter (very low lactose but contains casein traces) |
| Curds | Coagulated milk |
| Caramel color (E150c, E150d) | Sometimes contains lactose |
| Butter flavoring, butter solids | Dairy |
| Cream of tartar | NOT dairy (despite the name — it’s grape-derived) |
| Powdered milk, milk solids, MSNF | Concentrated milk |
| Galactose | Milk sugar component |
| Recaldent | Milk-derived calcium phosphate (in some toothpastes/gum) |
| “Natural butter flavor” | Dairy |
| Some ice creams labeled “non-dairy” | May contain casein — read carefully |
Key distinction: lactose-free is not casein-free, and casein-free is not lactose-free. Lactose intolerance is digestive (need lactase enzyme); milk allergy is immunological (the proteins casein and whey trigger response). They require different ingredient watch-lists.
Peanuts
The obvious: peanut, peanut oil, peanut butter, peanut flour.
The hidden:
| Ingredient | What’s going on |
|---|---|
| Arachis oil | Peanut oil (Latin name) |
| Mandelona, mandelonas | Peanut-flavored almonds |
| Goobers | Peanut snacks |
| Beer nuts | Peanut snack |
| Lupin / lupine flour | Cross-reactive with peanut for some allergic individuals |
| Cold-pressed / expeller-pressed peanut oil | More allergenic than refined peanut oil |
| Asian sauces (especially Thai, Chinese, Indonesian) | Frequently use peanut oil or paste |
| Mole sauce (Mexican) | Often contains peanuts |
| Some egg roll wrappers | Peanut oil in dough |
| Vegetarian “chicken” / mock meats | Sometimes peanut-bound |
Peanuts are legumes, not tree nuts. Some peanut-allergic people are also legume-allergic (chickpeas, lentils, soy). Test individually.
Tree Nuts
Tree nuts is a category, but each nut is a separate allergy. Allergic to almonds doesn’t necessarily mean allergic to walnuts. Check with allergist.
The standard list: almond, brazil nut, cashew, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, pine nut, pistachio, walnut, chestnut, coconut (in the US — though most coconut allergic people aren’t tree-nut allergic).
The hidden:
| Ingredient | Source |
|---|---|
| Marzipan / almond paste | Almonds |
| Frangipane | Almonds |
| Praline | Hazelnuts/almonds |
| Nutella, gianduja | Hazelnuts |
| Pesto (traditional) | Pine nuts |
| Mortadella (Italian) | Often pistachios |
| Some salad dressings (Caesar, walnut vinaigrette) | Walnut/almond |
| Nut milk powders, vegan cheeses | Cashew or almond base |
| Many “non-dairy” creamers | Coconut or cashew base |
| Marzipan-glazed pastries | Almonds |
| Some Asian dishes (Pad Thai, kung pao) | Cashews/peanuts |
Soy
The obvious: soy, soybean, soy sauce, edamame, tofu, tempeh, soy milk, miso.
The hidden:
| Ingredient | Source |
|---|---|
| Lecithin (E322) | Often soy unless specified (sunflower lecithin is common alt) |
| Soy lecithin | Soy |
| TVP (textured vegetable protein) | Usually soy |
| Hydrolyzed soy protein | Soy |
| Vegetable broth | Sometimes soy-based |
| Vegetable starch / vegetable gum | Often soy |
| Natto | Fermented soy |
| Tamari | Soy (gluten-free version of soy sauce) |
| Plant-based meats / Beyond / Impossible | Heavy soy |
| Vegetable oil (unspecified) | Sometimes soy |
| Edamame | Young soybeans |
Eggs
The obvious: egg, egg white, egg yolk, mayonnaise.
The hidden:
| Ingredient | Source |
|---|---|
| Albumin / albumen | Egg white protein |
| Globulin | Egg protein |
| Lecithin (E322) | Sometimes egg-derived (more often soy now) |
| Lysozyme | Egg-derived enzyme, often in cheese |
| Surimi (imitation crab) | Often egg-bound |
| Pasta (most fresh pasta) | Eggs |
| Macarons | Egg whites |
| Meringue | Egg whites |
| Marshmallow | Sometimes egg whites |
| Hollandaise, béarnaise sauces | Eggs |
| Some Indian dishes (paneer, naan) | Eggs in some recipes |
| Wine (cleared with isinglass, sometimes egg whites) | Egg fining |
| Vaccines (some flu, MMR, yellow fever) | Egg-cultured |
Shellfish (Crustacean / Mollusk)
Crustaceans (shrimp, crab, lobster, langoustine, prawn) and mollusks (clams, oysters, mussels, squid, octopus, scallops) are separate allergies — many crustacean-allergic people tolerate mollusks fine.
The hidden:
| Ingredient | Source |
|---|---|
| Bouillabaisse | Mixed shellfish |
| Surimi / imitation crab | Pollock + crab flavor (sometimes real crab) |
| Worcestershire sauce | Anchovies (fish, not shellfish, but worth knowing) |
| Caesar dressing | Anchovies |
| Glucosamine | Often derived from shellfish shells |
| Some fish sauces (nam pla) | Sometimes shrimp-based |
| Asian curries (red, green, Thai) | Often shrimp paste base |
| Paella | Mixed shellfish |
| Some calcium supplements | From oyster shell |
Fish
The obvious: fish names, fish sauce.
The hidden:
| Ingredient | Source |
|---|---|
| Worcestershire sauce | Anchovies |
| Caesar dressing | Anchovies |
| Some Asian curries / pastes | Fish sauce or anchovy base |
| Tamarind sauce (some brands) | Sometimes fish |
| Surimi | Fish (pollock or whiting) |
| Omega-3 supplements | Fish-derived (algae alternatives exist) |
| Some marshmallows | Fish gelatin |
| Some wines | Isinglass (fish bladder) |
Sesame
Now mandated as a Top 9 allergen in the US (FASTER Act, effective January 2023) and Top 14 in EU.
| Ingredient | Source |
|---|---|
| Tahini | Sesame paste |
| Hummus (most) | Tahini |
| Halva | Sesame |
| Za’atar (spice mix) | Often contains sesame |
| Furikake | Sesame |
| Some “everything” bagels | Sesame |
| Gomashio | Sesame salt |
| Ground sumac (some brands) | Sesame contamination |
| Many bread crusts (especially burger buns, breadsticks) | Sesame seeds visible |
| Sesame oil (light or dark) | Sesame |
| Asian salad dressings | Often sesame |
Sulfites
Required to be labeled when above 10ppm. Not technically a Top 14 allergen but causes issues for asthma sufferers.
| Ingredient | Source |
|---|---|
| Wine (most red and white) | Sulfites (E220-E228) |
| Dried fruit (apricots, raisins) | Often sulfite-treated |
| Frozen french fries | Sometimes sulfite-treated |
| Lemon juice (bottled) | Often sulfites |
| Pickled vegetables | Often sulfites |
| Shrimp (some imported) | Sulfites used to prevent black spots |
Mustard
EU Top 14 (not in US Top 9).
| Ingredient | Source |
|---|---|
| Yellow mustard, Dijon, English mustard | Mustard |
| Many salad dressings (vinaigrettes especially) | Mustard |
| Mayonnaise (some brands) | Mustard |
| Curry powder (some blends) | Mustard seeds |
| Pickled vegetables | Often mustard |
| BBQ sauce | Often mustard |
| Indian “rai” / “sarso” oils | Mustard oil |
How SYE handles all of this
Generic scanners catch the obvious words. SYE’s allergen engine has the 100+ derivatives above pre-mapped. When you set an allergen in your profile, the scanner doesn’t just look for “milk” — it scans for casein, whey, lactalbumin, ghee, sodium caseinate, and 30+ other dairy derivatives.
Configure your allergens once in SYE settings (under Profile → Dietary Preferences → Allergens). Every scan after that runs the full derivative match.
For severe allergies (life-threatening anaphylaxis), this is the difference between a generic “looks fine” green check and an explicit “WARNING — contains casein (dairy derivative)” red flag.
Free download on the App Store. Free tier covers 3 scans/day.
A note on cross-contamination
This article covers ingredient-level derivatives. Cross-contamination is a separate problem — even when an ingredient list is clean, manufacturing equipment shared with allergens can transfer trace amounts. “May contain X” warnings indicate this risk. For severe allergies, treat “may contain” as “does contain.”
For restaurant cross-contamination specifically, our celiac restaurant guide covers that case in detail.
Related: Celiac restaurant guide · EU vs US allergen labeling laws · Family profiles for households with allergies · Generic food scores fail diabetics · Yuka vs SYE