Allergen Statements & Cross-Contact in Fruit/Vegetable Ingredients (Buyer Checklist)
Fruit and vegetable ingredients are rarely “allergen ingredients” by nature—yet allergen documentation still matters. Why? Because modern food supply chains are built on shared facilities, shared handling systems, and multi-category plants. A juice concentrate may be produced in a facility that also runs nut-based flavors. A puree line might share packaging or storage areas with allergen-containing products. Even if the ingredient itself is allergen-free, your finished product claims (gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, etc.) and your customer requirements depend on having the right signed statements and credible cross-contact controls. This guide explains what buyers should request, how to interpret common disclosures, and how to build a practical approval file.
For micro documentation in supplier approvals, see Topic 094. For COA reading and lot matching basics, see Topic 093. For traceability and lot coding, see Topic 099.
Allergen statement vs. “no allergens” assumption
A common procurement mistake is assuming that because fruit is not a major allergen, no allergen documentation is needed. In many categories, customer approval requires: a signed allergen statement, a cross-contact disclosure, and confirmation of cleaning and segregation controls. This is especially true for: baby food, medical nutrition, private label programs, and contract manufacturing environments. The goal is not to create paperwork for its own sake. The goal is to avoid a late-stage customer rejection when the ingredient is already in your warehouse.
What an allergen statement should include (minimum useful content)
A credible allergen statement should be specific and dated, and should clearly identify:
1) The product and SKU: name, format (concentrate/puree/NFC), and (ideally) spec revision.
2) The allergen list covered: major allergens relevant to your market (often the “big” allergen list used by customers).
3) Presence/absence: whether each allergen is intentionally present as an ingredient.
4) Cross-contact disclosure: whether allergens are handled in the facility and whether shared equipment is used.
5) Signature and authority: signed by QA/regulatory or someone accountable.
“This product contains no allergens” without facility context is rarely enough for serious QA teams.
How to interpret “may contain” and shared facility statements
Many statements include language like:
“produced in a facility that also processes…”
or
“may contain traces of…”
These phrases can mean very different realities.
Sometimes they reflect real shared equipment.
Sometimes they are legal “blanket statements” designed to reduce liability even when controls exist.
As a buyer, you should clarify:
Is the equipment shared?
Are allergens stored in the same area?
Is there validated cleaning?
Is there a scheduling/segregation program?
If your finished product carries allergen-free claims, vague cross-contact language should trigger deeper review.
Cross-contact risk in fruit processing: where it actually happens
Cross-contact is not only about the processing line. It can happen in: raw material receiving, shared forklifts and pallets, shared storage rooms, rework systems, shared hoses and pumps, and packaging areas. In bulk fruit ingredients, one of the highest practical risks is shared transfer equipment: hoses, pumps, and connectors that are used across products. If your program is sensitive, require controls that address these “hidden” risk points.
Cleaning and verification: what to ask without turning it into a full audit
You don’t always need a full on-site audit to manage allergen risk, but you do need credible answers.
Practical questions buyers can ask include:
Do you have an allergen control program?
Do you run allergen-containing products on the same line?
What cleaning method is used between allergen and non-allergen runs?
How is cleaning verified? (e.g., visual inspection, ATP, allergen swabs where applicable)
Do you maintain cleaning records?
These questions help you assess whether “shared facility” is a controlled risk or an unknown risk.
Claims alignment: gluten-free, nut-free, and customer requirements
Many finished product claims depend on supplier documentation. Even if you do not make consumer-facing claims, your customers may require substantiation. For example: a customer may require confirmation that no gluten-containing grains are processed in the same facility, or that tree nuts are not handled. If you supply into schools, healthcare, or infant categories, these requirements can be especially strict. The safest approach is to map your claim needs to supplier statements early—before you lock in a supply route.
How to build an approval packet that QA will actually accept
A strong supplier approval packet typically includes:
COA requirements and a sample COA (see Topic 093),
microbiology limits and reporting format (see Topic 094),
allergen statement and cross-contact disclosure (this guide),
country of origin and traceability linkage (see Topic 099),
and certifications if applicable (organic, kosher).
The goal is to prevent “approval surprises” after procurement has already committed inventory.
For documentation needs in regulated/sensitive formulations, see Topic 075.
Writing allergen requirements into POs and specs (so you don’t chase documents later)
If you require allergen statements and cross-contact disclosures, write that into your purchase documents.
On your spec sheet and/or PO, include:
“Supplier must provide signed allergen statement and cross-contact disclosure for this SKU.”
“Supplier must notify buyer of any change in allergen handling status or facility controls.”
“Lot COA must reference matching lot code and include identity parameters.”
The best time to define these requirements is before the first shipment—not after receiving.
For a spec sheet template that includes compliance fields, see Topic 100.
Common red flags buyers should not ignore
In allergen documentation, red flags include:
statements without product identification,
documents that are undated or unsigned,
blanket “may contain” language with no explanation,
refusal to disclose whether equipment is shared,
and inconsistency between documents (e.g., one sheet says “nut-free,” another says “tree nuts handled in facility”).
If you see these, pause and clarify before product is released for use.
Next steps
If you tell us your category (beverage, dairy, baby food, nutraceutical, pet food), your claim needs (or customer allergen restrictions), and your internal approval checklist, PFVN can help align the right supplier documentation set—COA, micro, allergen, origin, certifications— so your receiving and QA approval process is smooth and repeatable. Use Request a Quote or visit Contact. You can also browse Products and Bulk Juice Concentrates.
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