For a person with an allergy, a small amount of a substance can cause a serious reaction. Your job is to be able to give the right information and not to transfer allergens to food that is meant to be free of them. The rules are found in, among other places, Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and the Swedish Food Agency's regulations LIVSFS 2014:4.
The 14 allergens
These substances are listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and must be declared when they are in the food:
- cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats and similar)
- crustaceans
- eggs
- fish
- peanuts
- soybeans
- milk (including lactose)
- tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts)
- celery
- mustard
- sesame seeds
- sulphur dioxide and sulphites (over 10 mg per kg or per litre)
- lupin
- molluscs
The list is fixed. Other substances that can cause problems, for example some fruits, are not covered by the legally required information, but guests may still ask about them.
Unpackaged food: restaurant, café, bakery and packed lunch
Special Swedish rules apply to food that is not pre-packaged. The business must always give information on which of the 14 allergens the food contains, or make it clear that the information is available. The information may be given:
- orally, if the guest can see that they can ask, for example on a sign at the ordering point saying "Ask us about allergenic ingredients"
- in writing on a sign, a menu or a sheet
It is not enough that guests who ask get an answer without it being visible that they can ask. There is an exception when the guest's allergy has been investigated and noted in advance and the food is served on that basis, for example in a nursery, school or hospital. Then it is enough to give the information if the guest asks.
If you get a question you cannot answer, do not guess. Ask the cook or the manager, and check the recipe or the packaging. "I don't know, but I'll find out" is a good answer.
Packaged food
On packaged food the allergens in the ingredients list must be clearly emphasised, for example in bold or capitals. The allergens must not be repeated somewhere else on the packaging, for example in a separate box saying "Contains: …". Voluntary warnings such as "may contain traces of" are not mandatory under the ingredients rules, but they must not be misleading.
Cross-contact with allergens
An allergen can end up in food that should not contain it, via hands, utensils, chopping boards, frying oil, surfaces and dishes. Protection:
- Clean surfaces and utensils thoroughly between food with and without a particular allergen. This follows from the hygiene rules in Regulation 852/2004.
- Use clean hands, clean gloves and separate utensils.
- Store food containing an allergen so that nothing can drip or dust down onto other food.
- Heat does not normally destroy allergens. Hot water when pre-rinsing dishes can even make protein residues stick.
- Food labelled "free from" an allergen must be fit to be eaten by very sensitive people, and therefore requires extra careful handling.
When the guest tells you about their allergy
- Take it seriously and make no exceptions for "just a little".
- Write the order down so that the kitchen gets the same information.
- The cook must check the ingredients, including sauces, spice mixes and garnishes.
- If dishes get mixed up or the food accidentally comes into contact with the allergen, it must be thrown away and made again.
- In a serious reaction: call 112.
Staff knowledge
The Swedish Food Agency's guidance for inspections says that staff must have knowledge of allergens so that guests with allergies or hypersensitivity get the right information. An inspector may ask you how you do it.