At the counter: allergens

A customer asks whether the soup is safe for someone with a sesame allergy. Your colleague says, 'I think so, it is only vegetable soup.'

Never guess, and never rely on memory. Check the recipe and the labels, or ask your manager. Recipes and suppliers change. If you cannot be sure, say so. For loose food, allergen information must be available. FSA best practice guidance of 2025, for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, recommends written information plus a conversation with the customer. It does not change the law. FSS publishes its own guidance for Scotland.

Next, a café makes sandwiches at 7am, wraps them and puts them in a chiller to sell that day. This is prepacked for direct sale (PPDS). Each pack must show the name of the food and a full ingredients list, with allergens emphasised. This has been the law across the UK since 1 October 2021, and is known as Natasha's Law.

Now think about cross-contact. A cook makes a dish for a customer with a nut allergy, using a board that has just been used for nuts. Cooking does not remove allergens, so the dish is not safe. Wash your hands and use clean surfaces and utensils.

If a customer has a severe reaction, use their adrenaline auto-injector if they have one, and call 999 straight away. Say 'anaphylaxis'. If a colleague is with you, do both at once. Lay them flat with their legs raised, unless breathing is difficult. Give a second dose after 5 minutes if they are no better. Do not leave them alone.