Quick Answer
Under Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare food allergen labeling rules, since 1 July 2020, packaged foods on sale must label 11 categories of allergens, up from 6: crustaceans, mango, peanuts, cow and goat milk, eggs, tree nuts, sesame, gluten-containing cereals, soybeans and fish and their products, plus sulfites and similar where the final product has sulfur dioxide residues of 10mg/kg or more. If a packaged food contains any of these, regardless of amount, the container or outer packaging must carry an allergen statement; restaurants and bulk products are not covered by these rules. Among bubble tea ingredients, creamers, milk foam powders, pudding powders, mango products and nut-flavored powders may contain allergens.
The 11 Allergen Categories That Must Be Labeled
| # | Allergen |
|---|---|
| 1 | Crustaceans and their products |
| 2 | Mango and its products |
| 3 | Peanuts and their products |
| 4 | Cow and goat milk and their products |
| 5 | Eggs and their products |
| 6 | Tree nuts and their products |
| 7 | Sesame and its products |
| 8 | Gluten-containing cereals and their products |
| 9 | Soybeans and their products |
| 10 | Fish and their products |
| 11 | Sulfites and similar (final product sulfur dioxide residue of 10mg/kg or more) |
Allergens That May Be in Bubble Tea Ingredients
| Ingredient | Possible allergens (per each product’s ingredients) |
|---|---|
| Creamer, milk foam powder, milk tea powder | Milk (for example casein) |
| Pudding powder, egg waffle mix, pancake mix | Egg, milk, gluten-containing cereals |
| Mango syrup, jam, canned mango | Mango |
| Almond powder, pistachio-flavored powder | Tree nuts |
| Sesame powder | Sesame |
Whether a product actually contains them depends on its ingredient label. For creamer ingredients, see What Is Non-Dairy Creamer?
What Stores and Brands Should Do
- Get allergen information from suppliers: ingredients and allergens for each item.
- Build a drink-by-drink allergen chart.
- Inform customers: freshly made drinks aren’t covered by the packaged food allergen rules, but telling customers reduces risk.
- Private label packaging: if you sell ingredients in your own branded packs, label them as required; see Private Label Bubble Tea Ingredients.
Notes for Exporting
Allergen lists and labeling formats differ by country, so check the destination’s rules before exporting; see Taiwan Food Export Process.
How Tang Sugar Can Help
Tang Sugar can provide product specifications and ingredient data to help stores and brands compile allergen information. Contact us.
Products in this article
All 87 Bubble Tea & Boba Ingredients →
FAQ
Which allergens must be labeled in Taiwan?
Since 1 July 2020, 11 categories: crustaceans, mango, peanuts, cow and goat milk, eggs, tree nuts, sesame, gluten-containing cereals, soybeans, fish and their products, plus sulfites with sulfur dioxide residues of 10mg/kg or more.
Must small amounts of allergens be labeled?
Yes. Packaged foods containing a listed allergen must carry a statement regardless of the amount.
Do bubble tea shops have to label allergens?
The allergen labeling rules cover packaged foods; restaurants and bulk products are not covered, but proactively informing customers reduces risk.
Does non-dairy creamer contain allergens?
Some creamers contain milk components such as casein, a milk allergen; check each product’s ingredient label.
Further Reading
- Taiwan Packaged Food Labeling Rules
- What Is Non-Dairy Creamer?
- Taiwan’s Bubble Tea Labeling Rules
- The Less-Sugar Bubble Tea Trend
- Tea Shop Opening Services
Sources
- SGS: Food allergen labeling rules expanded to 11 items (in Chinese)
- Commercial Times (2023-06-22): Don’t overlook allergens on packaged food (in Chinese)
- Taiwan Food and Drug Administration: Recommended practices for food allergen labeling (in Chinese)
