Start with the names on a label
ASCIA’s egg-allergy dietary guide lists albumen or albumin, ovalbumin, ovomucoid, ovomucin and lysozyme among egg-related ingredient names. It also includes dried egg and egg solids. These words matter when a product’s front label says little about its recipe. The list is not exhaustive. [1]
Use the egg allergy guide as an overview, then read the exact current package. In Australia and New Zealand, egg must be declared by its plain English name under the applicable allergen rules; the full ingredient list and nearby ‘Contains’ statement should be checked together. [2]
If a food is unpackaged, ask the maker or kitchen for the ingredient information. A bakery label from a different product or a photograph of last month’s packet cannot establish today’s recipe.
Look for the job egg does in a recipe
Egg may hold a crumb coating together, thicken a custard, emulsify mayonnaise or glaze a pastry. ASCIA flags breads, crumbed foods, dressings, sauces, desserts, fresh pasta and shiny bakery glazes as foods to check. These are prompts, not a claim that every item in those groups contains egg. [1]
For a sandwich, check the bread, filling and sauce separately. For a pastry, ask whether the dough, custard filling or brushed glaze uses egg. Removing a visible fried egg from a plate does not answer whether egg is already mixed into another component.
At a restaurant, ask whether a premade batter, mayonnaise or dessert base has a current supplier label. The restaurant questions guide helps make that request specific.
Baked egg needs a personal plan
ASCIA notes that some children with egg allergy tolerate egg baked into cake or biscuits, but says this should only be tried with specialist medical advice. A recipe’s baking time, temperature or crumb appearance cannot replace that advice. Do not use a restaurant dessert as an unsupervised test. [1, 3]
If your specialist has provided an individual baked-egg plan, follow its exact limits. Tell the restaurant what you have been advised rather than asking staff to decide whether an egg-containing cake is ‘baked enough’. If no such plan exists, treat egg as unconfirmed until the allergy team advises otherwise.
If several foods are being avoided, a dietitian can help maintain a suitable diet. This page is for recognising ingredients, not for introducing or reintroducing egg. [3]
Close the loop on preparation
Ask about shared utensils, batter bowls, pastry brushes, cooking surfaces and serving tongs when egg-containing foods are prepared nearby. The ingredient answer and the handling answer are separate. [3]
A useful question is: ‘Does this exact dish use egg in the batter, sauce, glaze or filling, including a bought-in component, and how is it kept separate from egg-containing orders?’ If staff cannot check, leave the item unverified.
Keep your prescribed action plan and medicines according to your clinician’s instructions. Recheck labels when products or suppliers change. [3]
Sources & references
Source pages checked 18 October 2026. Confirm the exact current recipe and preparation with the venue.