How to develop an allergen management plan

Your legal duty for food safety

If you sell or provide food to the public, you have a legal responsibility to provide accurate information about the 14 major allergens if they are present in the food you make or serve. The most effective way to do this is by creating a robust allergen management plan. This involves systematically tracking allergens from your suppliers to your customers, training your staff properly, and having clear, accessible information ready for anyone who asks.

Why it's so important

Getting allergen management right is not just about following the law; it's about protecting your customers' health. An allergic reaction can be severe and even life-threatening. A well-managed system builds trust and confidence in your business, showing customers that you take their safety seriously. Recent changes in the law, such as 'Natasha's Law', have placed even greater emphasis on the need for clear labelling and information for pre-packaged foods for direct sale.

The 14 Major Allergens

UK food law requires you to declare the presence of the following 14 allergens:

• Celery
• Cereals containing gluten (such as wheat, 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 (if at a concentration of more than 10mg/kg or 10mg/litre)
• Tree nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts)

How to Create Your Allergen Management Plan

Follow these steps to build a reliable system for your business.

Step 1: Get the Information from Your Suppliers

You can't tell your customers what's in their food if you don't know yourself. For every single ingredient you buy, from flour to spices to pre-made sauces, you must get a full ingredient list and allergen specification sheet from your supplier. Do not rely on the label alone. Keep these documents in a dedicated folder so you can refer to them easily.

Step 2: Create an Allergen Matrix

An allergen matrix is a simple chart or spreadsheet that lists all of your menu items down one side and the 14 allergens across the top. You then work through each dish, ingredient by ingredient, and tick which allergens are present.

Here is a very simple example for a small cafe:

Menu ItemGlutenMilkEggNutsCheese Sandwich✔✔Victoria Sponge✔✔✔Flapjack✔✔May contain

This matrix becomes your single source of truth. Whenever you change a recipe or a supplier, you must update the matrix immediately.

Step 3: Train Your Staff

Every member of staff, from the kitchen to the front-of-house, must be trained on allergen awareness. They need to know:

• What the 14 major allergens are.
• The risks of cross-contamination (e.g., using the same tongs for different foods).
• How to answer customer queries accurately by checking the allergen matrix.
• Who to ask if they are unsure.
• What to do in an emergency if a customer has a reaction.

Step 4: Communicate Clearly with Customers

You must make it clear to customers how they can obtain allergen information. You can do this by putting up signs that say, "Please speak to a member of staff if you have any questions about allergens." You can also include allergen information directly on your menus using a key (e.g., G for Gluten, M for Milk). The information must be accurate and easy to understand.

The Golden Rule: Never Guess. If you or a staff member are not 100% certain whether a dish contains a specific allergen, you must be honest and say that you cannot guarantee it is safe for the customer. It is always better to lose a sale than to risk a life.