Menu Design
How to Label Allergens on a Chinese Menu
Allergen labeling on a Chinese menu should help diners ask better questions without promising safety that the kitchen cannot guarantee.
Label signals, not guarantees
A menu can disclose common ingredients and preparation risks. It should not claim a dish is safe for celiac disease, severe allergy, or religious dietary observance unless the restaurant has a controlled process to support that claim.
Recommended text labels
| Label | Use when the dish contains or commonly involves |
|---|---|
| Contains pork | Pork, lard, ham, sausage, char siu, pork broth. |
| Contains shellfish | Shrimp, crab, oyster sauce, dried shrimp, XO sauce, seafood broth. |
| Contains wheat/gluten | Wheat noodles, wrappers, buns, regular soy sauce, flour coating. |
| Contains soy | Soy sauce, tofu, bean paste, fermented tofu, black bean sauce. |
| Contains sesame | Sesame oil, sesame paste, sesame seeds, chile crisp with sesame. |
| Contains peanuts/tree nuts | Peanuts, cashews, walnuts, almond desserts, nut garnish. |
| Contains egg | Egg noodles, fried rice, egg drop soup, custards, egg wash. |
| Contains cooking wine | Shaoxing wine, rice wine, cooking wine, drunken dishes, marinades. |