For some guests, food is a matter of life and death. An allergy can lead to difficulty breathing, circulatory failure and anaphylactic shock. Shelf-life dates protect people too. Annex 1 to the LMHV names “goods checks, shelf-life checks and labelling” as a training subject.
The 14 main allergens
Annex II to the Food Information Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011) lists the substances that can cause allergies or intolerances. They must be labelled:
- Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, khorasan wheat) and products made from them
- Crustaceans
- Eggs
- Fish
- Peanuts
- Soya
- Milk (including lactose)
- Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts)
- Celery
- Mustard
- Sesame
- Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (at more than 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/l)
- Lupin
- Molluscs (for example mussels, snails, squid)
Loose food and catering
For non-prepacked food, such as in restaurants, canteens, bakeries and at the meat counter, businesses must give allergen information. This follows from the LMIV and from the German Food Information Implementing Regulation (Lebensmittelinformations-Durchführungsverordnung, LMIDV), section 4 there.
- The information must be easy to see, clear and easy to read, and available before the purchase and before the food is handed over.
- It can be given in writing, for example on a sign at the food, on the menu, on a notice or through an easily accessible electronic offer.
- Alternatively, the business may inform verbally. Three things must then apply: the information is given on request, in good time before the purchase. A written or electronic record of the ingredients used exists. It is immediately available to the authority and to consumers on request. In addition, a clear notice (for example a poster) must say that information is given verbally and that the record is available.
For you this means: Answer only when you are sure. Never guess. It is better to say “I will check” and look at the recipe or allergen list.
Packaged food
For prepacked goods, the allergens are in the list of ingredients, where they are emphasised, for example in bold type or capital letters. At every new delivery, check whether the recipe or the manufacturer has changed. Then update the allergen information for your guests.
Notes such as “May contain traces of …”
Such precautionary notes are voluntary and not regulated in detail by law. They do not replace care in the business. Anyone who can avoid cross-contact must do so.
Avoiding cross-contact
- Separate work steps, equipment and utensils for allergen-free dishes.
- Wash hands, clean surfaces and equipment thoroughly.
- Do not use the same fryer for breaded food with gluten and for gluten-free dishes if you promise that food is gluten-free.
- Store allergenic ingredients closed and labelled.
- Do not use the same spoon for several dishes with sauces or dressings from a tub.
When a guest says they have an allergy
- Listen carefully: What is the guest allergic to?
- Check the allergen list or ask the kitchen. Answer only what you know for sure.
- Pass the information on to the kitchen. Dishes prepared allergen-free need clean equipment and hands.
- If a reaction occurs (difficulty breathing, swelling, circulatory problems), call the emergency number 112 immediately.
Best-before date and use-by date
Both are regulated by the LMIV, the use-by rule in Article 24.
- Best-before date (Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum, MHD): “best before”. Until then the food keeps its properties if stored correctly. After the MHD it may be sold if it is in perfect condition. The business must then check it.
- Use-by date (Verbrauchsdatum): “use by”. It appears on perishable foods that can become an immediate danger to health after a short time, for example on minced meat. After this date they count as not safe and must no longer be sold or used.
- On food you make yourself and on leftovers, label the date and contents, so that you know how long something has been standing.
Key points
- There are 14 main allergens. For loose food they must be given: in writing, or with the conditions for verbal information.
- Never guess with allergies. If in doubt, ask.
- Avoid cross-contact, not only cross-contamination.
- After the use-by date, food is no longer safe. The MHD is not a danger limit, but it requires a check.