The 14 EU-mandatory allergens account for 90% of all food allergies and must be disclosed by every EU restaurant since 2014. These specific ingredients require systematic tracking and guest disclosure upon request. Understanding their categories helps streamline your allergen management process.
The 14 EU-mandatory allergens by category
Since 2014, EU restaurants must register 14 specific allergens and disclose them to guests upon request. But here's what many don't realize - poor allergen tracking creates a mistake that costs the average restaurant EUR 200-400 per month through staff confusion, guest complaints, and potential liability issues. These allergens group by source:
Grains (gluten)
- Wheat - most common in bread, pasta, pizza
- Rye - in rye bread and certain beers
- Barley - in beer, malt, barley flour
- Oats - in oatmeal, oat cakes
- Spelt - in spelt bread, spelt flour
- Kamut - ancient grain variety, in organic products
💡 Example pasta carbonara:
Allergens in this dish:
- Gluten (wheat in pasta)
- Eggs (in carbonara sauce)
- Milk (parmesan cheese)
Total: 3 of the 14 allergens
Animal proteins
- Eggs - also in mayonnaise, pasta, baked goods
- Milk - all dairy products, including lactose
- Fish - fresh fish, canned fish, fish sauce
- Crustaceans - shrimp, crab, lobster, langoustines
- Mollusks - mussels, oysters, squid, snails
Nuts and seeds
- Tree nuts - almond, hazelnut, walnut, cashew, pecan, brazil nut, pistachio, macadamia
- Peanuts - technically not a nut but a legume
- Sesame seeds - in bread, tahini, hummus
⚠️ Note:
Peanuts aren't tree nuts but legumes. They're listed separately because peanut allergies can be extremely severe.
Other allergens
- Soy - soy milk, tofu, soy sauce, many ready-made products
- Celery - celeriac, celery, celery seed
- Mustard - mustard seed, mustard powder, in sauces
- Lupin - legume, sometimes in bread and pasta as a substitute
- Sulfur dioxide and sulfites - preservative in wine, dried fruit (>10 mg/kg)
How do you register allergens systematically?
The smartest approach? Track allergens per ingredient, not per dish. That way you automatically get an overview per recipe.
💡 Example ingredient registration:
Parmesan cheese contains:
- Milk (including lactose)
- Possible traces of nuts (depending on production)
Every dish with parmesan automatically gets these allergens.
Hidden allergens to watch out for
Many allergens hide in ingredients where you wouldn't expect them:
- Gluten: in soy sauce, bouillon cubes, spice mixes
- Milk: in dark chocolate, margarine, chips
- Egg: in mayonnaise, fresh pasta, some wines
- Celery: in spice and seasoning blends
- Sulfites: in wine, vinegar, dried tomatoes
⚠️ Note:
Always check your suppliers' labels. Manufacturers sometimes change recipes without notice.
Digital vs. paper allergen registration
Many kitchens still work with paper lists per dish. That works, but has drawbacks:
- Each ingredient change means updating all dishes
- Mistakes during information transfer
- Hard to look up quickly during service
Digital registration makes it easier:
- Allergens per ingredient → automatically per dish
- Change once, updated everywhere
- Quick lookup during service
💡 Practical example:
Restaurant with 25 dishes containing parmesan:
- Paper: 25 lists to update if parmesan supplier changes
- Digital: update 1 ingredient, 25 dishes automatically updated
Time saved: 95%
How do you set up allergen registration? (step by step)
Create a list of all ingredients
Go through your entire inventory and recipes. Note every ingredient you use, including spices, oils, and ready-made products. Check supplier labels for hidden allergens.
Link allergens to each ingredient
For each ingredient, determine which of the 14 EU allergens it contains. Watch out for hidden allergens like gluten in soy sauce or milk in dark chocolate. Unsure? Contact your supplier.
Automatically generate allergen overview per dish
Once you've tracked allergens per ingredient, you can automatically see which allergens are in each dish. This prevents mistakes and makes updates easy.
✨ Pro tip
Audit your 8 most popular dishes every 3 months for hidden allergen changes. Suppliers often reformulate without warning, and catching these early prevents guest reactions.
Calculate this yourself?
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Frequently asked questions
Do I always have to list all 14 allergens on my menu?
No, you only need to list allergens that are actually in your dishes. However, you must be able to provide all allergen information to guests upon request.
What if an ingredient 'may contain traces' of an allergen?
You must also disclose traces. If your parmesan 'may contain traces of nuts', then every dish with parmesan may contain nuts.
How often should I update my allergen registration?
Check with each new delivery whether suppliers have changed their products. Manufacturers can adjust recipes without notice.
What's the difference between peanuts and tree nuts for allergies?
Peanuts are legumes, not tree nuts, but they're listed separately because peanut allergies can be life-threatening. Some people are allergic to both, others to just one category.
Can I group allergens on my menu?
Yes, you can write 'contains gluten, milk, eggs'. You don't have to explain where each allergen comes from.
What happens if I provide incorrect allergen information?
This can lead to serious allergic reactions in guests and legal liability for your business. Always ensure your information is accurate and up-to-date.
Do sulfites in wine count as one of the 14 allergens?
Yes, sulfur dioxide and sulfites are mandatory allergens above 10 mg/kg. Most wines contain sulfites, so you must disclose this information to guests.
⚠️ EU Regulation 1169/2011 — Allergen Information — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj
The allergen information on this page is based on EU Regulation 1169/2011. Recipes and ingredients may vary by supplier. Always verify current allergen information with your supplier and communicate this correctly to your guests. KitchenNmbrs is not liable for allergic reactions.
In the UK, the FSA enforces allergen regulations under the Food Information Regulations 2014.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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