Allergen matrix and records

You can only give accurate information if you know what is in your food. Keep a written record of the allergens in every dish. Records can include product specification sheets, ingredient labels and recipes.

An allergen matrix is a simple chart. Dishes run down the side and the 14 allergens run across the top. A mark shows which allergens each dish contains. The FSA offers a free template in English and Welsh. Build your matrix from real recipes and real labels, not from memory. Include everything on the plate: sauces, dressings, garnishes, sides, bread and toppings.

Name specific nuts and cereals in words where you can. A customer who is allergic only to walnuts needs more than a mark under 'tree nuts'. If you use symbols, show the allergen name or a key beside them.

Records must stay up to date. Review them whenever a recipe, an ingredient or a supplier changes. Add specials and seasonal dishes before they go on sale. Put a date and a name on each version, and remove old copies. If you keep records on a tablet, keep a paper copy too, in case the device or the internet fails.

Good records protect customers first. They also help a business to show due diligence, which means that it took all reasonable precautions.