How Must Allergen Information Be Provided?

              

How Must Allergen Information Be Provided?

Understanding allergen information is important for consumers’ safety. It’s essential that details about the 14 common allergens are clearly shared and easily understood by everyone. For foods that aren’t packaged, businesses can provide this information in writing or by speaking with customers. They must let customers know if their products contain any of the following allergens:

• The 14 Common Allergens:
  - Celery
  - Gluten-containing cereals
  - Crustaceans (like shrimp and crabs)
  - Eggs
  - Fish
  - Lupin
  - Milk
  - Molluscs (like clams and oysters)
  - Mustard
  - Nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts)
  - Peanuts
  - Sesame seeds
  - Soya beans
  - Sulphur dioxide/sulphites

Ways to Share Allergen Information When Serving the Customer:

• Written Information: The best way to keep customers informed is to provide clear written details about allergens. This can be found on menus, chalkboards, or in special folders. It's important not only to list the allergens but also to mention risks of cross-contamination where needed.
• Signage: If allergen information isn’t included in the main menu, clear signs should be displayed in the establishment. These signs must tell customers how to get allergen information, such as “Please ask our staff for allergen details.”
• Talking with Staff: It’s crucial that staff members be well-trained and able to provide accurate, up-to-date allergen information. This verbal information should be backed up with written notes so that staff can quickly and accurately answer customer questions.
• Ordering Online or by Phone: When food is sold online or over the phone, customers must share allergen information before completing their purchase. This means the allergen details should be easy to find on the website or provided during the call, and they should also be included with the food delivery to remind customers of important information.
• Buffets: For buffet-style options, it’s essential to provide specific allergen information for each dish, rather than just a general warning. This means that signs or labels should be placed next to each dish to clearly indicate which allergens are in that dish.

How to Share Allergen Information on Prepackaged Foods:

For pre-packaged foods, like sandwiches or salads, the packaging must include a full list of ingredients, with allergens highlighted, so customers can easily read and understand them before buying.

• Font size: The ingredient list on prepackaged foods must be legible, and the law requires the font size to be at least 1.2mm for lowercase letters. There is an exception to this rule if the packaging is less than 80 cm², then the lowercase letter height can be reduced to 0.9mm.
• Highlighting Allergens in Ingredient Lists: To make it easier for consumers to spot allergens, businesses should highlight them in ingredient lists. They can do this by using:
  - Bold text
  - Italics
  - Underlining
  - Different colours for the text

These methods make it simpler for people, especially those with allergies, to find important information quickly.