Food Allergens
From 1 October 2021, the requirements for Prepacked for Direct Sale (PPDS) food labelling will change on the Isle of Man. The new labelling will help protect consumers by providing potentially life-saving allergen information on the packaging. More information can be found by clicking the Allergen Labelling Changes (PPDS) icon above.
In December 2014, the EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation (EU FIC) came into force. These European rules are enforced in the Isle of Man by the Food Information Regulations 2014 (FIR).
The new regulation requires:
- 14 specific allergens to be emphasised in the ingredients list of foods that are pre-packed
- Information on these 14 allergens must be given if they are included in the ingredients or processing aids of non-packaged (loose) foods.
The primary purpose of the EU FIC is to enable consumers to make informed choices about the food they buy and eat.
14 Allergens
Food businesses must inform you if they use any of the 14 allergens as ingredients in the food and drink they provide. This list has been identified by food law as the most potent and prevalent allergens.
The 14 allergens are:
- celery
cereals containing gluten (such as barley and oats)- crustaceans (such as prawns, crabs and lobsters)
- eggs
- fish
- lupin
- milk
- molluscs (such as mussels and oysters)
- mustard
- peanuts
- sesame
- soybeans
- sulphur dioxide and sulphites (at a concentration of more than ten parts per million) and
- tree nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts)
Links to guidance for both businesses and consumers can be found at the top of this page and further information can be obtained by contacting a member of the Environmental Health Unit on +44 01624 685894 or via email: ehenquiries@gov.im
