General information
Some people are allergic to certain foods. Eating these foods could make them ill and may even be life-threatening. There is currently no cure for food allergies and the only way to manage this is to avoid the food that makes you ill.
Allergens are proteins found in food and there is usually more than one in food which can make you ill. An allergic reaction can be produced by a tiny amount of the ingredient that a person is sensitive to; for example, a fragment of peanut or just one or two sesame seeds. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include stomach upsets, rashes, itching of the skin or mouth, swelling of the throat and difficulties breathing. Around ten people a year in the UK die from allergic reactions to food.
As of the 13th December 2014 EU legislation, EU Food Information Regulation No. 1169/2011 (FIR) and Food Information for Consumers Regulation (FIC) became effective. This has impacted all Caterers, Wholesalers and Foodservice companies within the food industry.
Caterers and Food businesses are now required by law to be able to provide customers with accurate information on the EU’s 14 major food allergens listed below if they are included in any of the food products they produce, sell or serve.
What are the 14 Major Food Allergens?
There are 14 major allergens which need to be declared when used as ingredients. The following list tells you what these allergens are and provides some examples of foods where they may be found:
This includes celery stalks, leaves and seeds, and celeriac. It is often found in celery salt, salads, some meat products, soups, and stock cubes.
This includes wheat (such as spelled and Khorasan wheat/ Kamut), rye, barley, and oats. It is often found in foods containing flour, such as some baking powders, batter, breadcrumbs, bread, cakes, couscous, meat products, pasta, pastry, sauces, soups and foods dusted with flour. The cereal will need to be declared. However, it is up to you if you want to declare the presence of gluten with this.
This includes crabs, lobster, prawns, and scampi. It is often found in shrimp paste used in Thai curries or salads.
This is often found in cakes, some meat products, mayonnaise, mousses, pasta, quiche, sauces and foods brushed or glazed with egg.
This is often found in some fish sauces, pizzas, relishes, salad dressings, stock cubes and in Worcestershire sauce.
This includes lupin seeds and flour and can be found in some types of bread, pastries and pasta.
This is found in butter, cheese, cream, milk powders and yogurt. It is often used in foods glazed with milk, powdered soups and sauces.
This includes mussels, land snails, squid and whelks. It is often found in oyster sauce or as an ingredient in fish stews.
This includes liquid mustard, mustard powder and mustard seeds. It is often found in bread, curries, marinades, meat products, salad dressing, sauces and soups.
This includes almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachio nuts, macadamia or Queensland nuts. These can be found in bread, biscuits, crackers, desserts, ice cream, marzipan (almond paste), nut oils and sauces. Ground, crushed or flaked almonds are often used in Asian dishes such as curries or stir-fries.
This can be found in biscuits, cakes, curries, desserts, and sauces such as for satay. It is also found in groundnut oil and peanut flour.
This can be found in bread, breadsticks, houmous, sesame oil and tahini (sesame paste).
This can be found in beancurd, edamame beans, miso paste, textured soya protein, soya flour or tofu. It is often used in some desserts, ice cream, meat products, sauces and vegetarian products.
This is often used as a preservative in dried fruit, meat products, soft drinks and vegetables as well as in wine and beer.