Allergen regulations for all food businesses

From this date all businesses serving food to consumers will need to accurately track, record and communicate what menu items contain any of the 14 most common foods to cause allergic reactions, such as nuts, shellfish and eggs.

These new regulations means that just in time for the Christmas party season 2014, every restaurant, hotel, pub, take away, motorway service station, café owner and festival caterer, as well as schools, hospitals and prison meals services, will need to rethink internal policies and information.

The EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation requires that all businesses selling food for direct sale to the consumer must identify and specify which (if any) of 14 allergens are contained in every dish and menu item. This means you must:

1. Identify & record which dishes are prepared with, or contain, any of the 14 specified allergens;
2. Communicate allergen information to customers;
3. Create allergen procedures and policies for handling allergens, staff training and customers with food allergies.

The government is clear that all foodservice providers, regardless of size, must comply fully. These rules are strict: any one item which contains one of the 14 specified allergens which has not been identified or recorded or not provided to customers upon request or is not available to communicate to customers will render your business non-compliant.

£200m cost to business anticipated

The British Hospitality Association (BHA) estimates the cost of implementation to be up to £200 million per year, involving significant overhaul in ways of working and internal policies, adapting menus and websites and regularly training staff.

The BHA, now known as ‘UK Hospitality’ have created a number of tools and training seminars to inform, educate and guide businesses towards compliance with this new law. Details of these and further information, can be found at the UK Hospitality website UK Hospitality website.