Milwaukee Allergen Labeling Compliance Checklist for Food Service

FDA Major Allergens & Wisconsin Disclosure Requirements

The FDA's Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) requires clear labeling of nine major allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame (added in 2023). Wisconsin's Food Code adoption requires food service establishments to disclose allergens upon customer request and maintain accurate ingredient documentation. Milwaukee health inspectors verify that menus, prep areas, and supplier documentation clearly identify these nine allergens. All packaged ingredients used in your kitchen must display allergen warnings on labels—failure to provide this information during customer inquiry is a critical violation.

Menu & Label Verification Inspection Checklist

Inspectors will check that your menu clearly identifies allergens in prepared dishes, either through bold print, asterisks, or legend-based systems. Written procedures must be documented showing how staff disclose allergens to customers asking about specific dishes. Wisconsin requires that all prepackaged items display original manufacturer labels with allergen declarations—relabeling or removing labels is a violation. Keep ingredient specification sheets (ISS) from all suppliers on file and accessible during inspections; these must list all allergens present. Train staff to understand the difference between intentional allergens in recipes and potential cross-contact allergens from shared equipment or prep surfaces.

Common Violations & Cross-Contact Prevention

The Milwaukee Health Department frequently cites violations for inadequate labeling of bulk ingredient containers, missing or illegible allergen information on house-made items, and failure to disclose cross-contact risks. Cross-contact occurs when allergens transfer between foods via shared utensils, cutting boards, or airborne particles—you must document separate equipment and prep practices to prevent this. Staff training records should demonstrate that employees understand allergen separation and can answer customer questions accurately. Document any allergen incidents (customer reactions, mislabeling discoveries) and corrective actions taken; these records show regulators you have active monitoring systems in place.

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