A food allergy is a reaction of the immune system to a protein in food. A small amount is enough. The reaction can be serious: swelling, difficulty breathing and anaphylactic shock, which is life-threatening. That is why the law requires guests to be given information about allergens.
The fourteen allergens
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 lists in Annex II the substances that cause allergies or intolerances. There are 14:
- cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats and their hybrids),
- crustaceans,
- eggs,
- fish,
- peanuts,
- soya,
- milk (including lactose),
- tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews and others),
- celery,
- mustard,
- sesame,
- sulphur dioxide and sulphites (above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/l),
- lupin,
- molluscs.
Products made from these ingredients count too. An allergen can be hidden in sauces, soups, thickeners, dressings, bread and baked goods, or in fried dishes.
Who must give the information
Under Article 44 of Regulation 1169/2011, the operator of a food service must also give allergen information for non-prepacked dishes. In the Czech Republic the details are set by the Food Act (zákon č. 110/1997 Sb., o potravinách) (§ 9a) and Decree No. 417/2016 Sb. (§ 7(3)). The operator must make the information visibly available and easy to read.
Four ways under the Decree
The allergen information for a dish is given in writing, in one of these ways:
- as in Article 21 of Regulation 1169/2011: the allergen is emphasised in the list of ingredients, or it follows the word "contains";
- with the sentence "Ask the staff for information on the specific allergens in a dish." (or other words with a similar meaning), in which case the operator must then give the information to the guest;
- in writing on a device for visual communication (for example a screen);
- by number or letter codes or symbols, as long as they are clearly explained on the menu.
If you give the information to a guest orally, it must be verifiable: during an inspection the operator must be able to show what information the staff rely on. It is recommended to appoint trained people who give the information.
What to do in practice
- Know the recipes. You cannot advise on what you do not know. If you do not know, say so and ask your supervisor or the cook.
- Do not guess. "There's probably nothing in it" is the wrong answer.
- Stick to what is in the recipe. When an ingredient changes, the information changes too.
- Look at the labels of ingredients and keep them.
- Keep allergens apart from other foods during storage and preparation.
Cross-contact
Equipment, containers and utensils that have been in contact with an allergen must not be used for foods that do not contain it unless they have been cleaned and checked (Regulation 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter IX, point 9). A small trace can be enough. This applies to frying oil, the grill, chopping boards, knives, hands and cloths.
An example from practice
A guest with a sesame allergy asks whether the bun and the sauce in a burger are free of sesame. The bun has sesame on top and the sauce contains it in the recipe. The right answer follows the actual recipe: "It contains sesame." The wrong answer is "I don't think so". If you are not sure, call the cook before the guest eats the food.
When a guest feels unwell
If a guest suddenly has problems after eating (swollen lips, difficulty breathing, a rash, vomiting, weakness), call 155 or 112 immediately. Do not delay. Say what the guest ate.