Sesame Allergy and Chinese Food

Overview

Sesame can appear in Chinese food as sesame oil, sesame paste, sesame seeds, chili crisp, hot pot sauce, cold noodles, and finishing garnish. This page is a practical restaurant-ordering guide. It helps identify common risk points, lower-risk starting points, and useful questions to ask before ordering.

Better starting points

• Plain rice
• Steamed dishes without sesame oil
• Simple stir-fries cooked in verified non-sesame oil
• Sauce on the side when ingredients can be checked
• Hot pot sauces made without sesame paste or sesame oil

What to watch for

• Sesame oil
• Sesame paste
• Sesame seeds
• Chili crisp
• Dan dan noodles
• Sesame chicken
• Cold noodles
• Hot pot dipping sauce
• Bakery toppings

Questions to ask

• Does this contain sesame oil, sesame paste, or sesame seeds?
• Is sesame oil used as a finishing oil?
• Does the chili oil or chili crisp contain sesame?
• Can the dish be made without garnish?

Useful phrase

我对芝麻过敏。请不要放芝麻油、芝麻酱或芝麻粒。

A phrase can help communication, but it cannot verify ingredients, labels, shared equipment, or kitchen practice by itself.

Ordering strategy

Keep the order simple. Prefer dishes with fewer sauces and fewer mixed ingredients. Mention the restriction before asking for dish recommendations. When the restriction is medically important, ask about preparation, not only ingredients.

Sources and related guides

• FDA: Food Allergies
• FDA: Food allergen labeling guidance