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Core Features

Understanding allergen labels

This article covers how MakrPrep builds an ingredient statement and how allergen tagging works.

Before you start
Check Settings → Business Setup → Allergen standards for which standards you want offered.

Steps

  1. In Settings → Allergen standards, tick any combination of UK (the official UK 14), US (the official US Big 9), and Other recognised allergens (Canada, Australia/New Zealand). This controls what's offered as tagging options. It doesn't hide anything already tagged, and bulk uploads still accept every recognised allergen.
  2. Tag allergens on each ingredient as they apply. Flagging only follows what's actually tagged on that ingredient: a compound ingredient like "Cocoa Butter" or "Oat Milk" won't be capitalised as a dairy allergen just because its name contains "butter" or "milk," unless dairy is genuinely tagged on it.
  3. On a recipe, MakrPrep builds an Ingredient statement, a full ingredient list with allergens capitalised inline (e.g. "Plain Flour [WHEAT FLOUR, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin], UNSALTED BUTTER [PASTEURISED CREAM (MILK)], Water, Sea Salt, Mixed Dried Herbs, Black Pepper, FREE RANGE EGGS [WHOLE EGG (FREE RANGE)]"). Use the Copy button to paste it wherever you need it.
  4. A note under the statement reads: "This is a guide for your own labelling only. It's generated from what's been entered into MakrPrep, including automatic formatting, so always check it against your own records before printing."
  5. A simpler Allergens summary also shows alongside it, aggregated from every ingredient and component used.
  6. Add allergens manually via "Add allergens manually" for anything not captured by ingredient tagging.

  7. Components carry the same aggregation, labelled "Allergens (aggregated)", and propagate into any recipe that uses them.

What to expect
The Ingredient statement is only as accurate as what's been entered and tagged. Always check it against your own records before printing, per the disclaimer shown under it.

Common issues

  • Wanted a specific allergen standard offered while tagging and couldn't find it: check Settings → Allergen standards.
  • Allergen missing from a recipe that uses a component: check the component's own aggregated allergens directly. The recipe only reflects what the component itself carries plus its own manual additions.
  • A compound ingredient isn't flagging for an allergen I'd expect: check whether that specific allergen is actually tagged on the ingredient. MakrPrep only capitalises allergens that are genuinely tagged, not ones implied by the ingredient's name.

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