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Ingredient list generator

Type your ingredients and rough amounts. Get a correctly-ordered FDA ingredient statement and a Big-9 “Contains” allergen line, ready to paste onto your label. Free, no signup.

Your ingredients

Amounts can be approximate. They only set the descending-by-weight order. Put sub-ingredients in parentheses: “Chocolate chips (sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin)”.

Your label text

INGREDIENTS: Your ordered ingredient statement appears here.

Auto-ordered by weight with Big-9 allergen detection (including sub-ingredients). Free, no account needed.

The two rules behind a compliant ingredient list

1. Descending order by weight.Ingredients are listed heaviest-first as formulated. Water counts. Spices and flavors under 2% can be grouped at the end (“contains 2% or less of…”), but the safest default is simply listing everything in true order, which this tool does.

2. Common or usual names.“Sugar”, not “sucrose”; “salt”, not “sodium chloride”. Purchased ingredients with their own label (chocolate chips, soy sauce) are declared with their sub-ingredients in parentheses, and the allergens hiding in those sub-ingredients still must be declared.

Name the allergen's food source, not just the ingredient

Allergen law (FALCPA, extended by the FASTER Act) requires the sourcename, because “whey” or “albumin” means nothing to a shopper scanning for milk or egg. Either write the source in parentheses in the list itself, “whey (milk)”, or name it in the Contains line. Tree nuts, fish, and crustacean shellfish go further: the specific species must be named, so “Contains: almonds” rather than “Contains: tree nuts”. And since January 1, 2023, sesame is the ninth major allergen, easy to miss when it arrives hidden in tahini or a spice blend.

Spices, flavors, and colors: what you can group

The FDA lets you declare “spices”, “natural flavor”, and “artificial flavor” as collective names instead of itemizing each one (21 CFR 101.22). Colors are stricter: certified color additives like FD&C Yellow 5 must be listed by their individual names. The collective names never override allergen law, so a “natural flavor” that carries milk or sesame still has to be declared as containing that allergen.

“May contain” is not a substitute

Advisory statements like “may contain traces of peanuts” are voluntary, unregulated in wording, and legally separate from the Contains line. They describe possible cross-contact in your kitchen; they do not cover allergens that are actually in the recipe, and they can't patch a missing declaration. Declare every intentional allergen first, then add an advisory line only if it reflects a real cross-contact risk you can't eliminate.

Need the full label? The free cottage label maker adds net weight, your business identity, and your state's home-kitchen disclosure. And when you scale into retail, the nutrition label maker builds the FDA panel from the same recipe.

FAQ

Common questions

What order do ingredients go in on a food label?
Descending order by weight: the heaviest ingredient first, as it goes into the recipe. This generator orders them for you from your (approximate) amounts.
How do I list an ingredient that has its own ingredients?
In parentheses after its name: “Chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin)”. Type it exactly that way in the tool and allergens inside the parentheses are detected too.
Do I need exact weights?
No. Only the order matters on the label, so close estimates are fine. Weigh ingredients only if two are nearly tied.
Is the “Contains” statement required?
You must declare Big-9 allergens either inside the ingredient list or in a “Contains” statement right after it. The Contains line is the clearest option, and this tool builds it automatically.
Is this really free?
Yes. The ingredient statement and allergen line are free with no account. The full cottage label (net weight + your state's home-kitchen disclosure) is free too; the $9 Label Pass is only for the FDA Nutrition Facts panel.
Is sesame really a major allergen now?
Yes. The FASTER Act made sesame the ninth major allergen effective January 1, 2023, so it must be declared like milk or peanuts. Check spice blends, tahini, hummus bases, and bakery toppings, where it most often slips through undeclared.
How do I list water on a food label?
Added water is an ingredient and goes in the list at its position by weight, which often puts it first in sauces and drinks. Water that evaporates during cooking can be excluded to the extent it's removed, so declare what remains in the finished food.
What font size does the ingredient list need?
At least 1/16 inch tall based on the lowercase letter 'o' (21 CFR 101.2(c)), placed on the information panel with the allergen statement. Packages with 12 square inches or less of labeling space may drop to 1/32 inch.
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