Free From the Top 8 Allergens

Outside The Breadbox has a variety of products that are free from the top 8 allergens. In fact, we knock out the top 14! To give you a little bit of background, in the United States, the Food & Drug Administration mandates that food manufacturers clearly list major allergens that are contained in their sourced ingredients. There are eight that account of 90% of allergic reactions to food.¹ 

Thanks to the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act that was passed in 2004, these “Big 8” are legally required to be called out if they are used in the manufacturing process or if any ingredient contains protein derived from them. This is important because these allergens may be used in processed products and therefore difficult to discern from an ingredient list. This is an example of how one of these top 8 allergens would be called out on product packaging.

The Big-8 Allergens 

1. Milk
2. Eggs
3. Fish
4. Crustacean shellfish
5. Tree nuts
6. Peanuts
7. Wheat
8. Soybeans

The Top 14 Allergens

The European Union, generally regarded to be even stricter in its food regulations and food safety measures than the U.S., requires that 14 common ingredients be declared as allergens. Seven of the eight U.S.-declared allergens overlap. The exception is wheat, however the EU covers that by adding gluten to their list, which all wheat and wheat-derived products contain. The additional allergens that European countries must disclose by law are:

1. Gluten
2. Celery
3. Mustard
4. Sesame seeds
5. Sulphur dioxide and sulphites
6. Lupin
7. Molluscs

Coincidentally, Outside The Breadbox makes 8 products that knock out the top 8 allergens and, since all of our products are gluten free and none of them contain any of the other ingredients that are taboo in the EU, they’re free of the top 14 allergens too. I guess that makes us ripe for global expansion! Below you’ll find links to our top 8 allergen-free foods.

If you only have one or two food allergies, visit our Products page where you can sort by allergen to find the foods that are safe for you to eat. We take food allergies seriously and have put in place processes and procedures that eliminate the risk of cross contamination, so you can feel secure about the food you are putting into your body. All of our products are gluten free, nut free, and soy free, and we offer vegan and non-GMO options as well.

“Outside The Breadbox’s customer service is top-notch and their products are really great. They’re so allergy friendly. We have people who come in with 18, 19, 20 allergies and they knock them all out. It’s really great when we can say ‘Actually, we have something that you can eat!’” Isabelle, General Manager, Knoxville, TN

OTB’s Top 8 Allergen-Free Products

• Vegan Oat Bread
• Vegan Oat Bagels
• Vegan Oat Cinnamon Raisin Bread
• Vegan Oat Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
• Vegan Out Onion Bagels
• Hamburger Buns
• Croutons
• Bread Crumbs

1. U.S. Food & Drug Administration