Why allergen management isn't optional
In 2016, Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died after eating a baguette from Pret a Manger that contained sesame — an allergen not declared on the packaging. Her death led to Natasha's Law, which came into force in October 2021 and introduced mandatory full ingredient labelling on pre-packed foods made and sold on the same premises.
Allergen failures can be fatal. They also carry unlimited fines, prosecution, and closure. Getting this right is non-negotiable.
The 14 Mandatory Allergens
Under the Food Information Regulations (FIR) 2014, the following must be declared whenever they are intentionally present in a food product:
- Celery — including celeriac, seeds, and leaves
- Cereals containing gluten — wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, and kamut
- Crustaceans — prawns, crab, lobster, crayfish
- Eggs — including dried, powdered, or processed egg products
- Fish — including stocks, sauces (Worcestershire sauce contains anchovy), and fish-based gelatine
- Lupin — lupin flour is increasingly found in gluten-free products
- Milk — including butter, cream, cheese, lactose, and whey
- Molluscs — oysters, mussels, scallops, squid
- Mustard — including seeds, oil, leaves, and mustard flour
- Nuts (tree nuts) — almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, and Queensland nuts
- Peanuts — technically a legume, not a tree nut, but listed separately
- Sesame — including sesame oil and tahini
- Soya — including tofu, miso, edamame, and textured vegetable protein
- Sulphur dioxide and sulphites — present at levels above 10mg/kg in wines, dried fruits, processed meats
Note: Peanuts and tree nuts are separate entries — someone can be allergic to peanuts but not tree nuts, or vice versa.
What the law requires you to do
For loose food sold in catering (restaurants, cafés, takeaways)
You must be able to provide allergen information on request. This means:
- Keeping an up-to-date written allergen record for every dish you serve
- Training all staff so they can communicate allergen information confidently
- Having a clear process for handling allergen queries (don't rely on kitchen staff shouting across the pass)
For pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) — Natasha's Law
If you package food on your premises and sell it directly to customers (sandwiches made in the morning, boxed salads, fresh pesto etc.), you must label with:
- The name of the food
- A full ingredient list with allergens emphasised (bold, italic, or highlighted)
For pre-packed food manufactured off-site
Full ingredient labelling with emphasised allergens is required on all packaging.
Common mistakes that get businesses in trouble
**Assuming verbal warnings are enough.** A chef telling front-of-house that the soup contains celery only works if that information reliably reaches the customer. It often doesn't. Have a written record. **Not tracking allergens through sauces and condiments.** Worcestershire sauce contains fish. Pesto contains nuts. Many pre-made sauces contain soya or gluten. Check every ingredient, including cooking aids. **Cross-contamination not treated as seriously as intentional inclusion.** If you say a dish is "nut-free" and it's fried in shared oil or prepared on the same board, you could still be liable. Be honest with customers about cross-contamination risk. **Menus not updated when recipes change.** If you swap a supplier and the new soy sauce contains wheat, your allergen records need updating immediately.Building a practical allergen management system
A good allergen system involves:
- An allergen matrix — a table listing every dish and which of the 14 allergens it contains
- A supplier information folder — keep technical data sheets or allergen declarations from every ingredient supplier
- Staff training records — document who's been trained and when
- A customer communication script — a simple process for how staff handle allergen queries
- A change process — what to do when recipes or suppliers change
CompliChef's built-in allergen module lets you build and maintain your allergen matrix digitally, flag dishes automatically, and give front-of-house staff instant access during service.
*Don't leave allergen management to chance. [Try CompliChef free](https://portal.complichef.co.uk/signup.php) and get your allergen records in order today.*