Ingredient or Contaminant (Cooking in Oil as an Example)

Ingredient or Contaminant (Cooking in Oil as an Example)

An ingredient is used in the production or preparation of a food while a cross-contaminant is inadvertently present at low levels in a food.

Cooking oil is considered an ingredient and is generally found in or on food cooked in that oil. For example, where potato chips are cooked in peanut oil, a peanut allergen declaration is mandatory. However, where fish is cooked in vegetable oil and that oil is subsequently used to cook potato chips, a fish allergen declaration is not mandatory as any fish present in the chips is due to cross-contamination.