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Allergen Guidance for Businesses

Guidance for food businesses on providing allergen information and best practice for handling allergens.

Food business operators in the retail and catering sector are required to provide allergen information and following labelling rules as set out in Food Information Regulations (2014).

This means that food business operators must:

  • Provide allergen information to the consumer for both prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink
  • Handle and manage food allergens effectively in food preparation

Food businesses must make sure that staff receive training on allergens. Staff can complete the Food Standards Agency (FSA) allergy training for food businesses.

Allergen Labelling for Different Types of Food

There are a number of ways in which allergen information can be provided to your customers. You will need to choose the method which is best for your business and the type of food you serve.

Prepacked foods refer to any food product put into packaging before being placed on sale, while non-prepacked (loose food) is unpackaged food. Different allergen labelling rules apply depending on how the food is provided.

The FSA technical guidance provides a detailed explanation of the labelling requirements for each food type.

Prepacked

Prepacked products refer to any food put into packaging before being placed on sale. Food is prepacked when it:

  • Is either fully or partly enclosed by the packaging
  • Cannot be altered without opening or changing the packaging
  • Is ready for sale

Prepacked food must have an ingredients list present on the packaging. Allergens present in the product must be emphasised each time they appear in the ingredients list.

Prepacked for Direct Sale (PPDS)

Prepacked for direct sale products are foods that have been packed on the same premises from which they are being sold.

Common foods that can fall into this category include sandwiches, salads and pies made and sold from the premises in which they are made. It is expected that the customer is able to speak with the person who made or packed the product to ask about ingredients.

Currently, allergen information can be provided in the same way as for non-prepacked (loose) foods. From October 2021, the way food businesses must provide information for prepacked foods for direct sale (PPDS) will change. Foods will need to have a label with a full ingredients list with allergenic ingredients emphasised within it.

These changes will provide essential information to help people with a food allergy or intolerance make safe food choices. More information can be found on our Allergen Labelling Changes for Prepacked for Direct Sale (PPDS) foods. page

Non-prepacked (loose) foods

If you provide non-prepacked foods, you must supply allergen information for every item that contains any of the 14 allergens.

Non-prepacked (loose) foods include:

  • Foods sold loose in retail outlets
  • Foods which are not sold prepacked

Non-prepacked allergen information requirements can apply to loose items sold at a delicatessen counter, a bakery, a butcher’s, as well as meals served in a restaurants, and food from a takeaway.

You must provide allergen information in writing if you sell or provide food to your customers directly. This could be either:

  • Full allergen information on a menu, chalkboard or in an information pack
  • A written notice placed in a clearly visible position explaining how your customers can obtain this information

When allergen information is provided as part of a conversation with a customer, this can be backed up by written information. This would ensure that it is accurate and consistent.

The FSA have produced an allergy and intolerance sign which can be displayed to inform customers how they can find allergy information.

It is important to manage allergens effectively in your food business to ensure food is safe for customers with food allergies.

This involves including allergen information when menu planning and having good food preparation and hygiene practices in place to avoid cross-contamination in your kitchen.

Detailed guidance on how to manage allergens in the kitchen can be found in the FSA Safer Food, Better Business information pack for caterers.

Allergen Ingredient Recording

You need to make sure that you know what is in the food you provide. You can do this by recording allergen ingredient information in a written format. Allergen ingredients information should be:

  • Recorded on product specification sheets
  • Included on ingredients labels and ingredients should be kept in original or labelled containers
  • Included in recipes or explanations of the dishes provided – you need to consider the impact when recipes change
  • Up to date

It is important for food businesses to take steps to avoid cross-contamination in food preparation to protect customers with a food allergy.

There are a number of actions you can take to prevent cross-contamination with allergens. These include:

  • Cleaning utensils before each usage, especially if they were used to prepare meals containing allergens
  • Washing hands thoroughly between preparing dishes with and without certain allergens
  • Storing ingredients and prepared foods separately in closed and labelled containers
  • Keeping ingredients that contain allergens separate from other ingredients
  • Allergen cross-contamination can also happen through using the same cooking oil. To cook gluten-free chips, you can’t use the same oil which has been previously used for cooking battered fish

If you can’t avoid cross-contamination in food preparation, you should inform customers that you can’t provide an allergen-free dish.

Further information can be obtained by contacting a member of the Environmental Health Unit on +44 1624 685894 or via e-mail: ehenquiries@gov.im

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