--- title: "Wheat Allergen Labelling and Introduction Rules: United States" description: "Wheat is one of the FDA's nine major food allergens. For labelling, FDA treats any species in the genus Triticum as wheat, including spelt, einkorn…" url: "https://baby-allergy-tracker.com/guides/wheat/united-states/" --- [Allergen guides](/guides/) / [United States](/guides/#united-states) / Wheat Allergen guide · United States # Wheat in the United States: label rules and introduction guidance Sources checked September 2026. Every claim below links to the official source it comes from. **Educational note:** This guide summarises official labelling rules and published guidance. It is not medical advice. Always ask your paediatrician about your baby's specific health needs before introducing new foods or interpreting symptoms. [Read our full disclaimer](/disclaimer/). **Direct Answer:** Wheat is one of the FDA's nine major food allergens. For labelling, FDA treats any species in the genus Triticum as wheat, including spelt, einkorn, emmer, Khorasan and triticale. Barley, rye and oats are not US major allergens. CDC lists wheat among the potentially allergenic foods to introduce with other first foods. ## Is wheat on the FDA's list of 9 major food allergens? The US rule names wheat itself, not 'cereals containing gluten' as the EU and UK do. FDA's Edition 5 guidance defines wheat as any species of the genus Triticum, which brings in common wheat, durum wheat and semolina, club wheat, spelt, einkorn, emmer, Khorasan and triticale. Each must be traceable to wheat on the label, for example 'flour (wheat)', which is one of FDA's own examples, or a 'Contains wheat' statement. Barley, rye and oats are not on the US major allergen list, so they appear in the ingredient list by name but are not repeated in the 'Contains' statement. A 'gluten-free' claim is governed by a separate FDA rule and is not the same thing as the allergen declaration. In the United States, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended by the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) and the FASTER Act, names nine major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. A packaged food has to declare each one either in parentheses after an ingredient, such as 'whey (milk)', or in a 'Contains' statement printed immediately after or next to the ingredient list. - [FDA: Food Allergies](https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods/food-allergies) - [FDA: Questions and Answers Regarding Food Allergens (Edition 5, January 2025)](https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-questions-and-answers-regarding-food-allergen-labeling-edition-5) ## What CDC guidance says about introducing wheat CDC includes wheat in its four examples of potentially allergenic foods and advises introducing them when you introduce other foods. Wheat often turns up in ordinary first foods such as infant cereal, bread or pasta, so its first appearance can be easy to miss in a busy week. The NIAID addendum does not cover wheat. Wheat allergy and coeliac disease are different conditions, and the allergen label is written for the first; if either runs in your family, ask your paediatrician about timing. US advice on first foods comes from several places. CDC's page for parents says to introduce potentially allergenic foods when you introduce other foods. For peanut specifically, an expert panel sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) published addendum guidelines in 2017. Neither replaces a conversation with your paediatrician about your own baby. - [CDC: When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods](https://www.cdc.gov/infant-toddler-nutrition/foods-and-drinks/when-what-and-how-to-introduce-solid-foods.html) ## Logging wheat in the app Set your region to the United States and the app's allergen schedule follows the FDA's nine. In the schedule, wheat appears as **Wheat**. Each allergen entry moves from not started to introduced, cleared or reaction, and the 14-day window keeps new foods spaced out so a delayed reaction is easier to match to a food. Wheat often arrives in several foods in one week; logging each one keeps the first exposure clear. If you see a symptom, log it with its severity; the paediatrician report gathers the dates into one PDF for your next appointment. It is a record for you and your doctor, not a diagnosis. Track wheat from first taste to cleared Log every offering and any reaction against your baby's own timeline, then share one clear report with your paediatrician. [Download on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1445346223?pt=117722137&ct=Blog&mt=8) [Google Play version coming soon](mailto:support@baby-allergy-tracker.com?subject=Notify%20me%20when%20the%20Android%20version%20launches) Coming soon — clicktap to get notified Free to download. Premium from US$2.99/month or US$24.99/year; prices vary by country. ![](/assets/images/app-store-qr.png) Scan with your iPhone camera to get the app. [Or open the App Store link →](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1445346223?pt=117722137&ct=Blog&mt=8) The app is iPhone only for now. [Tell me when it comes to Android](mailto:support@baby-allergy-tracker.com?subject=Notify%20me%20when%20the%20Android%20version%20launches) ## Wheat in other countries - [Wheat in the European Union](/guides/wheat/european-union/) - [Wheat in the United Kingdom](/guides/wheat/united-kingdom/) - [Wheat in Australia and New Zealand](/guides/wheat/australia-new-zealand/) - [Wheat in Canada](/guides/wheat/canada/) ## Other allergens in the United States - [Peanut in the United States](/guides/peanut/united-states/) - [Tree nuts in the United States](/guides/tree-nuts/united-states/) - [Egg in the United States](/guides/egg/united-states/) - [Milk in the United States](/guides/milk/united-states/) - [Soy in the United States](/guides/soy/united-states/) - [Fish in the United States](/guides/fish/united-states/) - [Shellfish in the United States](/guides/shellfish/united-states/) - [Sesame in the United States](/guides/sesame/united-states/) See every region's full list side by side on [Allergen Lists by Region](/allergen-lists/).