Information › Allergies › Celery
Celery allergy
Celery (stalk, celeriac, celery seed) is a mandatory allergen because it often turns up unexpectedly in flavourings and can cause strong reactions, especially combined with a birch pollen allergy.
At a glance
- Kind
- Legal allergen (EU)
- On the label
- In bold in the ingredient list
- Also as
- selderie, bleekselderij, knolselderij, selderijzaad, selderijzout
- Without celery
- 27.113 products
- Supermarkets
- AH, Jumbo, PLUS, Dirk and Hoogvliet
Recognise
On the label as
- selderie
- bleekselderij
- knolselderij
- selderijzaad
- selderijzout
- Celery is in bold as ‘selderij’; selderijzout (celery salt) and selderijzaad (celery seed) count too.
- Stock cubes, herb mixes, soups, sauces and mince seasonings are the usual sources.
Shopping
Examples without celery
- PLUS Filet Americain magerPLUS · 150 gPLUS € 3,19Bevat: Ei, Koemelk, Lactose, Melk, Mosterd
- PLUS Filet americain mini'sPLUS · 120 gPLUS € 2,69Bevat: Ei, Koemelk, Lactose, Melk, Mosterd
- AH Biologisch Filet americainAH Biologisch · 130 gAlbert Heijn € 3,39Bevat: Eieren, Mosterd
- AH Kalfsfilet met uitjesAH · 150 gAlbert Heijn € 3,29Bevat: Eieren, Koemelk, Lactose, Melk, Mosterd
- Jumbo Filet Americain Plantaardig 150 gJumbo · 150 gJumbo € 1,99Bevat: Gluten, Mosterd, Soja, Tarwe
- Verstegen Kruidenmix voor kip krokantVerstegen · 110 gAlbert Heijn € 3,49Bevat: Gerst, Glutenbevattende Granen
All 27.113 products without celery
What to look out for in the shop
- Fresh vegetable mixes for soup (‘soepgroente’) almost always contain celery.
- Raw celery causes complaints more often than cooked, but the label does not show that.
Good to know
Recently with celery in the recipe (8)These products recently took celery onto their label: the recipe changed. This is exactly where reading the label matters most.
Cross-contamination and “may contain traces”Celery is in almost every stock, herb mix and soup.
Celery is in almost every stock, herb mix and soup. Celery salt and celery seed count too. Trace warnings are rare; the problem is usually that celery is simply an ingredient.
Symptoms and when to see a doctorCelery allergy often causes itching in the mouth and throat, sometimes swelling and stomach complaints.
Short of breath, a swelling tongue or throat, or dizzy after eating? Use the adrenaline auto-injector if one has been prescribed and call 112 straight away. Even if it then seems to get better.
Celery allergy often causes itching in the mouth and throat, sometimes swelling and stomach complaints. It is common in people with a birch pollen allergy; raw celery then causes more complaints than cooked.
Is there celery in stock cubes?
In most, yes. Celery-free stocks exist; ‘selderij’ is in bold when it is there.
Is celeriac the same allergen as stalk celery?
Yes, both count as celery.
Can I eat cooked celery?
Some people with a pollen-related celery allergy tolerate cooked celery. It differs per person; discuss it with your doctor.
What this site does and does not do
We read the ingredient list and the allergen declaration as the supermarket publishes them, and hide every product that contains the allergen. Products without allergen information are hidden by default too: unknown is not the same as safe. What we cannot do is read the pack in the shop. Recipes change, and the information here can lag behind. When in doubt the label in your hand decides, and for questions about your health your doctor or dietitian.
Other allergens
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex II: the fourteen allergens that must be on the label.
- The ingredient lists and allergen declarations of Albert Heijn, Jumbo, PLUS, Dirk and Hoogvliet, re-read every week.
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