SNHD 'Big 9' Food Allergens

Question 1

Which of the following is one of the 'Big 9' major food allergens recognized by the FDA?

Accepted Answer

Sesame

Answer

The 'Big 9' major food allergens are Milk, Eggs, Fish, Crustacean shellfish, Tree nuts, Peanuts, Wheat, Soybeans, and Sesame. Mustard is a common allergen but is not on the U.S. FDA's major allergen list.

Question 2

A customer states they have a peanut allergy. Which of the following items should they avoid?

Accepted Answer

Chicken satay with peanut sauce

Answer

Peanuts are legumes, not tree nuts. Satay sauce is a classic example of a dish that commonly contains peanuts or peanut butter as a primary ingredient.

Question 3

Which two distinct types of shellfish are recognized as major allergens?

Accepted Answer

Crustaceans and Mollusks

Answer

The FDA recognizes two separate categories of shellfish allergens: Crustacean (e.g., shrimp, crab, lobster) and Molluscan (e.g., clams, oysters, scallops). However, only Crustacean shellfish are part of the 'Big 9' list requiring mandatory labeling.

Question 4

A food label lists 'hydrolyzed vegetable protein' as an ingredient. This could indicate the presence of which two major allergens?

Accepted Answer

Wheat and Soy

Answer

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) is often made from soy or wheat. Food labels must specify the source if it is a major allergen, for example, 'hydrolyzed soy protein'.

Question 5

Which of the following is classified as a tree nut?

Accepted Answer

Walnut

Answer

Walnuts grow on trees and are classified as tree nuts. Peanuts are legumes, coconuts are botanically a fruit (though the FDA classifies them as a tree nut for labeling), and chestnuts are also tree nuts. In this list, walnut is the clearest example.

SNHD - Southern Nevada Health District Practice Test

SNHD - Southern Nevada Health District Practice Test

SNHD 'Big 9' Food Allergens