Allergens

A food allergy is a reaction of the immune system to a food. A very small amount can cause a serious reaction, and it can kill. Food intolerance does not involve the immune system in the same way, but it can still make someone unwell. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition. Food labelled gluten free must contain 20 mg/kg of gluten or less.

UK food law names 14 allergens: celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, soya, and sulphur dioxide and sulphites (above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre).

The rules depend on how the food is sold. They come from the Food Information Regulations 2014 in England, with equivalents in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Prepacked food needs full labelling, with allergens emphasised in the ingredients list. Prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) means food packed on site before it is ordered, such as a sandwich wrapped in the morning and sold from a chiller that day. It must show the name of the food and a full ingredients list, with allergens emphasised. This is known as Natasha's Law, after Natasha Ednan-Laperouse. It has been in force across the UK since 1 October 2021.

For non-prepacked or loose food, such as a restaurant meal, 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. For food sold at a distance, such as a phone order, allergen information must be available before purchase and on delivery.

Never guess. If a customer asks about allergens, check the recipe and the labels, or ask your manager. If a recipe or supplier changes, the allergen information must change too. Many businesses use an allergen chart that shows which allergens are in each dish. If you run out of an ingredient and use a different one, tell your manager, because the chart may no longer be right.

Prevent cross-contact. Wash your hands and use clean surfaces and utensils before you prepare food for someone with an allergy. Keep ingredients sealed and labelled. Think about shared oil too: chips cooked in the same fryer as battered fish can pick up gluten and fish. When a customer tells you about an allergy, write it down, tell the kitchen and check the dish before it goes out. Remember that cooking does not remove allergens. 'May contain' statements are voluntary and must reflect a real risk.

Anaphylaxis is a severe reaction. Use the person's 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.