Allergen guidance for restaurants and cafés.

In December 2014, the EU decided that all restaurants must be able to inform their guests about allergenic substances contained in their dishes. This means that restaurant owners have an obligation to have information about the food they serve contain allergenic ingredients or ingredients from the "allergen list".

Information on allergens in dishes can provided in two ways:

• You can have a sign that informing your guest how they can obtain information about allergens – For example by speaking to the staff.

The staff needs to have updated information on what allergenic ingredients are present in the food.

• Written information means that the allergic ingredients are clearly stated in e.g. menu. It can also be presented on a screen, special sign or in an information stand.

Allergens

Below you will find the allergens that’s causes the majority of severe allergic reactions:

• Celery
• Cereals containing gluten – including wheat (such as spelt and Khorasan), rye, barley and oats
• Crustaceans – such as prawns, crabs and lobsters
• Eggs
• Fish
• Lupin
• Milk
• Molluscs – such as mussels and oysters
• Mustard
• Tree nuts – including almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts
• Peanuts
• Sesame seeds
• Soybeans
• Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (if they are at a concentration of more than ten parts per million)