Allergens & sensitivities — how we score

The Allergens & sensitivities category is how NordicScan's method flags ingredients that are declared allergens, cross‑contact risks, or known sensitizers — in both the food (ingestion) and cosmetic (skin‑contact) context. It is one of the nine evidence categories behind a product's concern score. This page explains what the category looks at, the sources behind it, and what the score does and does not claim.

A flag in this category means an ingredient our method associates with allergens or sensitizers is present — for your research. It is not a safety verdict, not a prediction of how you will react, and not medical advice.

What this category looks at

• Food (ingestion). Declared priority allergens and the "may contain" cross‑contact advisories on the label, plus intolerance‑relevant ingredients such as sulfites, added lactose, and gluten sources. Declared‑allergen signals are treated as strong, deterministic flags — presence is read straight from the panel.
• Cosmetic (skin contact). Contact allergens, fragrance allergens, and known sensitizers. A topical sensitizer is a real signal on its own — this category does not require ingestion evidence for a cosmetic product, because the exposure route is different.

Absence is never inferred from silence. A "fragrance‑free" or "low‑allergen" positive is only stated when the panel is complete and the trigger is genuinely absent — we never read "free‑from" out of a missing or unreadable label.

The evidence and sources we weight

In the source hierarchy — inter‑governmental bodies → national regulators → peer‑reviewed literature — the allergen category leans first on the designated‑allergen lists that regulators maintain (for example the US "big‑9" major allergens, Health Canada's priority allergens, and the EU's declarable food allergens and Annex‑II fragrance allergens), and on contact‑allergen assessments such as the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) opinions and the published patch‑test literature. Each specific flag on an ingredient page cites the source that supports it.

The words we use

Every statement is matched to its evidence tier:

• A declared allergen or a regulator‑listed sensitizer is an authority / regulatory signal — "a declared allergen" or "[authority] lists this as a fragrance allergen", attributed and route‑appropriate.
• A research‑based sensitization signal is a correlation — "associated with contact sensitization", named as an association, never as a certainty that you will react.

We never issue a reassurance that a complete‑panel absence can't support — a missing flag is not a promise that a product suits an allergic person.

What the score does — and does not — claim

• It does flag the presence of declared allergens, cross‑contact advisories, and known sensitizers, so you can check them against your own needs.
• It does not predict your individual reaction, identify an allergy or intolerance, or certify a product as suitable for an allergic person.
• A missing flag is not a guarantee of absence unless the panel is complete; an unreadable or partial label renders Not yet reviewed, never a "free‑from" claim.

If you have a known allergy, always read the full label yourself and consult a qualified professional.

Related method pages

• How we score — the full method
• Digestive · Neurological & behavioural · Metabolic · Endocrine‑active · Carcinogenicity signals · Cardiovascular · Skin (dermal) · Nutrition & positives

Disclaimer

Nordic Scan provides ingredient information and a concern score under our published method, for general consumer research. It is not medical advice and not a medical device, and does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or determine the safety of any product. Decide for yourself.

NordicScan is operated by The Fred Group, Inc. (d/b/a NordicScan). See how we score for the full method.