The EU 14 Allergens
Food allergy awareness is an essential part of professional restaurant safety. A guest with a food allergy depends on the restaurant team to understand the ingredients, communicate accurately and reduce the risk of accidental cross-contact throughout preparation and service.
Under European Union food information rules, restaurants and other food businesses must be able to provide clear information about 14 specified allergens. This obligation also applies to non-prepacked food, including meals served in restaurants, cafés, hotels, catering operations, bakeries and takeaway businesses.
The EU list of 14 allergens is not a list of every food capable of causing an allergic reaction. A person may be allergic to many other ingredients. These 14 groups were selected because they are among the allergens most relevant to food labelling and consumer information in Europe.
For restaurant staff, knowing the names of the allergens is only the first step. Chefs, servers and managers must also understand where allergens may be hidden, how cross-contact can occur, how to check recipes and supplier information, and how to communicate honestly with the guest.
The 14 allergens that must be declared in the European Union are:
Cereals containing gluten · Crustaceans · Eggs · Fish · Peanuts · Soybeans · Milk · Nuts · Celery · Mustard · Sesame seeds · Sulphur dioxide and sulphites · Lupin · Molluscs
Read more at online-chef.com and more.
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