New　labeling　regulations,　under　The　Food　Allergen　Labeling　and　Consumer　Protection　Act　of　2004,　will　require　food　labels　to　identify　in　plain　English　if　the　product　contains　any　of　the　eight　major　food　allergens　–　milk,　eggs,　fish,　crustacean　shellfish,　peanuts,　tree　nuts,　wheat　and　soybeans.　The　Act　does　not　include　honey,　and　honey　is　not　listed　as　an　allergen.

Honey　is　not　a　major　allergen.　It　is　rarely　negatively　associated　with　allergic　reactions,　but　the　pollens,　which　may　be　present　in　the　unprocessed　products,　can　contribute　to　some　food　allergies.

Honey,　especially　when　not　fully　processed,　may　contain　residual　proteins　containing　pollen　from　the　plants　the　bee　has　visited,　and　proteins　are　the　cause　of　most　true　food　allergies.　Such　proteins　are　found　in　the　eight　major　food　allergens　mentioned　above.　The　major　components　of　honey　are　simple　sugars.　These　are　carbohydrates　and　do　not　cause　allergic　responses.

Because　the　filtering　process　used　for　most　commercially　available　honey　generally　removes　most　of　these　pollens　and　other　impurities,　allergic　reactions　stemming　from　the　consumption　of　honey　are　very　uncommon.　Raw　honey,　favored　by　health　food　proponents,　contains　a　greater　amount　of　pollen　due　to　its　lack　of　processing,　and　is　therefore　more　likely　to　cause　an　allergic　response.　When　they　do　occur,　allergic　reactions　are　usually　mild　and　present　in　people　who　have　known　pollen　allergies.　Severe　allergic　reactions　resulting　from　the　ingestion　of　honey　are　extremely　rare,　according　to　medical　literature.