Food allergen requirements for UK restaurants and hospitality kitchens
Food businesses need reliable allergen information and effective controls in the kitchen. For restaurants, pubs and caterers, this means knowing what is in each dish, communicating it clearly and keeping the information accurate when ingredients or recipes change.
What are the 14 regulated allergens?
UK food businesses must tell consumers when any of the 14 regulated allergens are used as ingredients. These are celery; cereals containing gluten; crustaceans; eggs; fish; lupin; milk; molluscs; mustard; peanuts; sesame; soybeans; sulphur dioxide and sulphites above the specified concentration; and tree nuts.
People can react to foods outside the regulated 14 as well, so businesses should still be able to respond carefully to customer questions about other ingredients.
What information must restaurants provide?
For non-prepacked food, allergen information must be available for items containing regulated allergens. The Food Standards Agency now recommends written allergen information as best practice, supported by a conversation with the customer.
If information is provided verbally, customers need clear signposting explaining how to obtain it. Different requirements apply to prepacked and prepacked-for-direct-sale food.
Staff knowledge matters as much as the matrix
The FSA says food businesses must make sure staff receive allergen training. A beautifully maintained matrix is not enough if the team does not understand how to respond to an allergy request or prevent avoidable cross-contact.
Your allergen process should therefore connect menu information, ingredient changes, kitchen controls and staff training.
How TKEG supports allergen management
TKEG places allergen information within the same compliance environment as suppliers, deliveries, SFBB, food-safety checks and training workflows, helping management keep the wider picture together.
Keep exploring kitchen compliance
Common questions
How many allergens must UK restaurants declare?
Food law identifies 14 regulated allergens that businesses must tell consumers about when they are used as ingredients.
Does allergen information have to be written down in a restaurant?
For non-prepacked food, information can be provided in different permitted ways, but current FSA best practice encourages written allergen information supported by a conversation.
Do restaurant staff need allergen training?
Yes. The FSA states that food businesses must make sure staff receive allergen training.
Is an allergen matrix enough on its own?
An allergen matrix can be a useful tool, but businesses also need accurate ingredient information, effective kitchen controls and staff who know how to handle allergy enquiries.
Turn the paperwork into a working system.
TKEG brings food-safety records, compliance evidence and kitchen management together.