Allergen Information Rules and Help

On 13 December 2014 food allergen labelling and information rules changed and require companies to know what allergens are present in their food. Are you aware of the changes and what you need to do?

The Food Information for Consumers Regulation (EU FIC) built on current allergen labelling provisions for pre-packed foods. It means that all foods sold for direct sale, whether pre-packed or non-packed, require allergen information about 14 allergens to be:
• declared on the label within the ingredients list
• offered up front to customers

The 14 allergens
There are 14 major allergens that need to be declared. They are:

Gluten Cereals icon for MKG Foods
Cereals containing gluten namely wheat (such as spelt and Khorasan wheat), barley, rye and oats
Crustaceans icon for MKG Foods
Crustaceans like prawns, crabs, lobster and crayfish etc.
Eggs icon for MKG Foods
Eggs
Fish icon for MKG Foods
Fish
Peanut icon for MKG Foods
Peanut
Soya icon for MKG
Soya
Milk icon for MKG Foods
Milk
Nuts icon for MKG Foods
Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachio, cashew, Macadamia or Queensland nut)
Celery icon for MKG Foods
Celery
Mustard icon for MKG Foods
Mustard
Sesame icon for MKG Foods
Sesame
Sulphur Dioxide icon for MKG Foods
Sulphur dioxide (where added and is >10mg/kg in the finished product. Often found in dried fruit & wine)
Lupin icon for MKG Foods
Lupin (related to legumes such as peanuts, peas, lentils & beans)
Molluscs icon for MKG Foods
Molluscs like clams, scallops, squid, mussels, oysters and snails etc.

To assist you and your staff in the kitchen and dining room, we’ve created these helpful recipe cards and menu sheets. Fill in the sheets as you create your menus and use them as quick guides to inform your customers of allergens present in a recipe. 

Download by clicking the images below.

A recipe card sheet for chefs to record visually the allergens present in a recipe / meal. A4 sized with two a5 cards per sheet.
Dishes and their allergens sheet. A helpful sheet for chefs to record the allergens in a recipe.

The EU FIC provides greater consistency to allergen labelling. It brings general and nutrition labelling together into a single regulation to simplify and consolidate existing labelling legislation. It is good news for consumers with food allergies or intolerances, as the changes will provide allergen information more clearly and consistently, making it easier for them to make safer food choices when buying food or eating out.

At MKG Foods, our customers have access to the Erudus compiled allergen information we provide through our online ordering system. You can check the ingredients of any food item we stock and print out full product information, including all nutrition and allergen information for it. This system is available 24/7, meaning you can find out whether products ‘contain’ or ‘may contain’ any of the 14 major allergens whenever you want. In addition, you can discover if a product is suitable for any specific dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan, kosher and halal.

For access to the MKG online ordering system, call MKG customer service department on 0330 058 8888 or call your MKG Territory Sales Manager.

More information and help:

• You can find more information on the EU FIC at https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/food-allergy-and-intolerance
• You can also find useful free resources such as information, leaflets, signage, allergen matrix templates and more at https://www.food.gov.uk/science/allergy-intolerance/label
• There is free allergy e-training here: https://allergytraining.food.gov.uk

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For allergen guidance, please call your MKG account manager or the telesales team on 0330 058 8888