From Saturday 13 December, all restaurants and food businesses will be responsible for identifying, recording and clearly communicating when any of 14 allergens are used in a dish or drink. It means that everyone from food suppliers to chefs, waiting staff to bartender will need to understand what food ingredients could cause allergies and how to inform their customers about them.
The new EU regulations seek to provide the public with better information about the foods they are eating. The challenge will be greatest for restaurants that frequently change recipe or menu items; pop-up or event caterers; establishments with high staff turnover; and smaller eateries which may struggle with the resources to track, identify and record all allergens used from main dishes through to garnishes and drinks.
Millions of requests for information across foodservice
Some 8 billion ‘out-of-home’ meals are served every year. With up to two per cent of people being food allergy sufferers and 20% of people believing they have some kind of food allergy according to NHS figures, there could be millions of requests for information that food businesses will have to manage.
Jackie Grech, Legal and Policy Director of The Restaurant Association said: “The new food allergen regulation should give all diners across the EU access to reliable information on ingredients served in out of home, for example hotels and restaurants, food stalls and festivals.
“Food allergies can cause very serious health problems making it very difficult for a limited few to enjoy a ‘night on the town’. In this industry success is measured one customer at a time. Make no mistake, the Food Allergens Regulation will be challenging and cumbersome to implement, especially for small businesses and it is fraught with practical difficulties. But, if it serves the customer, then it serves the industry too.”
The Restaurant Association, part of the BHA, has launched a guidance toolkit designed to help food businesses manage the new regulations, which can be found at www.bha.org.uk
New Allergen regulations
The Food Information for Consumers Regulation, which is being introduced by the EU, is a binding regulation on all member states. The law states that it is mandatory that food businesses inform their customers about food allergens so that customers are able to make informed choices about what to eat.
Which allergenic ingredients do the new Regulations cover?
The 14 allergens that must be labelled or indicated as being present in foods are:
- Cereals containing gluten such as wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt or khorasan
- Crustaceans, for example prawns, crabs, lobster, crayfish
- Eggs
- Fish
- Peanuts
- Soybeans
- Milk (including lactose)
- Nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachio nuts, macadamia (or Queensland) nuts
- Celery (including celeriac)
- Mustard
- Sesame seeds
- Sulphur dioxide (more than 10mg/kg or 10mg/L)
- Lupin
- Molluscs for example clams, mussels, whelks, oysters, snails and squid
Implications for restaurants and catering outlets
All staff serving customers need to be trained to understand the regulations and should be made aware of the potential risks to customers’ health if they advise them incorrectly. A process must be in place to ensure that allergen information can be easily obtained and is accurate and consistent.
Customers are strongly advised to speak to staff regarding their allergy requirements. If a member of staff is unsure of the answer to a customer’s question, they must ask somebody who knows.
The regulations will place an extra burden on local councils as Environmental Health Officers and Trading Standards Officers will be responsible for enforcement.
Once the new regulations are in place what should a customer expect from a food service provider?
Any service provider should be able to provide information on which foods contain the allergenic ingredients. If a member of staff is unsure of the answer to a customer’s question, they must ask somebody who knows. This information must be accurate and verifiable.
About the British Hospitality Association
The BHA, incorporating The Restaurant Association, represents over 40,000 hotels, serviced apartments, clubs, restaurants, food service, attractions and leisure companies. As the ‘hub’ for Hospitality and Tourism, the BHA’s thought leadership, market know-how, intelligence and expertise, deliver a powerful voice to government, as well as reliable advice, valuable connections and strategic support to business. Our purpose is to work with government to ensure the right business environment in which Hospitality and Tourism can thrive. Our key measure of success is the creation of 300,000 new Hospitality and Tourism jobs in the UK by 2020.
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