Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

SnackSafely.com provides straightforward, actionable information to improve the lives of the 32 million people in the US living with food allergies, 5.9 million of whom are children. We strive to eliminate anaphylaxis by leveraging our online properties to educate, advocate, and connect the allergic community with products and services that help achieve this goal.

We report on all things food allergy, including news, research on therapies and a cure, advocacy, legislation, school policies, and more.

For more information, download our Media Kit.

The Safe Snack Guide is our flagship resource — a downloadable, searchable list of commonly available food and health & beauty products (not just snacks) categorized by their allergen processing profile, including shared line and facility information available nowhere else. We update these guides regularly to reflect the latest manufacturing data we glean from working directly with over 200 manufacturers, never from the label.

Allergence is our interactive allergen screening platform available from any web browser. It provides users with in-depth allergen processing information on products, including whether they are manufactured on shared lines or in the same facility as the “Top 9” allergens and gluten.

We don’t rely on the label as critical allergen processing information is rarely provided by manufacturers. We partner directly with over 200 food manufacturers who agree to disclose their processing practices via our proprietary platform. This transparency goes far beyond what is legally required on a standard food label.

We never charge manufacturers to join our partnership and have their products listed in our publications.

We list only products from manufacturers who have joined our partnership by explicitly disclosing their allergen-processing information and agreeing to abide by our strict reporting standards. If a brand isn’t listed, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s unsafe — it means the manufacturer hasn’t yet provided the transparent data we require.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter that summarizes all the articles published on SnackSafely.com as well as updates to our Guides and Allergence.

A food allergy is an immune system overreaction to a specific protein in food. When the body misidentifies a protein as harmful, it releases chemicals (e.g., histamine), which can trigger symptoms ranging from mild hives to life-threatening anaphylaxis.

Anaphylaxis is a severe, systemic allergic reaction that can occur within seconds or minutes of exposure. It typically involves more than one organ system (e.g., hives combined with difficulty breathing). It is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment with epinephrine.

Epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) is the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis and is the only drug that can halt and reverse its progression. It works by:
• Constricting blood vessels to increase blood pressure;
• Relaxing muscles in the lungs to open airways;
• Reducing swelling and hives.

Everyone that has been prescribed epinephrine for allergies should always take two doses along everywhere, everytime. Anaphylaxis can strike at any time and epinephrine is your lifesaver when the unthinkable happens.

Antihistamines (like Benadryl) can mask skin symptoms but cannot stop the progression of anaphylaxis. Only epinephrine can save a life during a severe reaction and should be administered first.

The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) is a US law that requires food labels to clearly state whether a product contains any of the major food allergens as ingredients. It does not require manufacturers to warn of the potential for cross-contact due to shared lines or facilities.

The Top 9 allergens that require special labeling are: peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy, wheat, fish, crustacean shellfish, and sesame. These foods account for approximately 90% of food allergy reactions in the US. Although more than 170 other foods can cause reactions in people with food allergies, they do not require special labeling.

Cross-contact occurs when an allergen is inadvertently transferred from one food to another (e.g., using the same knife for peanut butter and jelly or equipment that processes both peanut-containing and non-peanut-containing foods).

Cross-contact is often mistaken for cross-contamination, which generally refers to the inadvertent introduction of bacteria or viruses.

PAL statements are those warnings you sometimes see on food labels like “may contain milk” or “made on equipment that also processes soy.”

PAL warnings are entirely voluntary — there are no regulations governing when they should be used, how they should be worded, or where they should appear. As such, they can tell you when a product isn’t safe for consumption, but their absence does not mean the product is safe. Some manufacturers include them; many major manufacturers don’t; and some will warn about one allergen but not another.

Standard labels often lack information about shared lines or facilities. Adopting the Guide as an official school policy ensures that all parents use the same vetted list, significantly reducing the risk of accidental exposure.

This is our way of recognizing schools that have committed to food allergy safety. Schools that adopt the Safe Snack Guide can register to be added to our interactive map, showing their commitment to the community.

OIT is a treatment intended to desensitize an allergic individual by administering small doses orally of an allergen under strict medical supervision.

SLIT is a treatment intended to desensitize an allergic individual by administering small doses of an allergen sublingually (under the tongue) under strict medical supervision.

EPIT is a treatment intended to desensitize an allergic individual by introducing small amounts of an allergen via a small skin patch under strict medical supervision.

Palforzia is the first FDA-approved treatment for food allergies — specifically peanut allergy — for use in OIT. It will be discontinued worldwide as of July 31, 2026.

In 2024, the FDA approved Omalizumab for the treatment of food allergies. It is an injectable medication that helps prevent severe reactions in the event of accidental exposure. It is not a cure for food allergies.