The 14 allergens: a guide for restaurants and cafés
The European Union and Turkey require the same 14 allergen groups. Here’s a one-page summary of what they are, where they hide on the menu, and how to inform your guests.
Which rules apply?
In the EU, Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 requires the 14 allergens in Annex II to be declared for non-prepacked food too, including in restaurants, cafés and canteens. In Turkey, the Turkish Food Codex regulation on labelling and consumer information lists the same 14 groups. The UK, Switzerland and the Gulf states use very similar lists.
The 14 allergens and where they hide
-
Gluten
- Includes
- Wheat (including spelt and khorasan), rye, barley, oats, their hybrids and products thereof
- Watch for
- Bread and breadcrumbs, flour-thickened sauces, bulgur and couscous, soy sauce, beer, meatball mix
-
Crustaceans
- Includes
- Crustaceans such as prawns, shrimp, lobster, crab and crayfish, and products thereof
- Watch for
- Fish soups, seafood rice and pasta, shrimp paste, Asian-style sauces
-
Eggs
- Includes
- Eggs and egg products (hen, duck, quail and others)
- Watch for
- Mayonnaise and dressings, fresh pasta, pastries and cakes, batter and coatings, meatballs, egg-washed bread
-
Fish
- Includes
- Fish and fish products
- Watch for
- Caesar dressing (anchovy), Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, some stock cubes, pizza toppings
-
Peanuts
- Includes
- Peanuts and their products (a separate group from tree nuts)
- Watch for
- Peanut butter, satay and Asian dishes, some desserts and ice creams, veggie burgers, peanut oil
-
Soy
- Includes
- Soybeans and their products
- Watch for
- Soy sauce, tofu, edamame, soy lecithin, meat products with added vegetable protein, plant drinks
-
Milk
- Includes
- Milk and milk products (including lactose)
- Watch for
- Butter, cream, cheese, yoghurt, ayran, ghee, whey in bread and sausages, chocolate
-
Tree nuts
- Includes
- Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamias
- Watch for
- Baklava and syrup desserts, pesto, praline and hazelnut spread, marzipan, granola, snack mixes
-
Celery
- Includes
- Celery (stalk, celeriac, seed) and products thereof
- Watch for
- Soups, meat and vegetable stocks, ready spice blends, celery salt, salads
-
Mustard
- Includes
- Mustard and products thereof (seeds, powder, oil, sauce)
- Watch for
- Salad dressings, mayonnaise, marinades, curry, pickles, burger and sandwich sauces
-
Sesame
- Includes
- Sesame seeds and their products
- Watch for
- Tahini, hummus, simit, halva, sesame oil, toppings on bread and burger buns
-
Lupin
- Includes
- Lupin and products thereof, such as lupin flour
- Watch for
- Lupin flour in some breads and pastries, gluten-free products, lupin beans as a snack
-
Sulphur dioxide & sulphites
- Includes
- Sulphur dioxide and sulphites above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/L, expressed as SO₂
- Watch for
- Wine, beer, dried apricots and other dried fruit, vinegar, some pickles and processed potato products
-
Molluscs
- Includes
- Molluscs such as mussels, oysters, squid, octopus and snails, and products thereof
- Watch for
- Stuffed and fried mussels, seafood salads, oyster sauce, fish soups
How to provide allergen information
The information is mandatory; the format depends on the country. The EU Regulation makes allergen information compulsory for non-prepacked food, and each country decides whether it must be written on the menu or may be given verbally by staff.
Even where verbal information is allowed, a written pointer such as “Ask our staff about allergens” is expected on the menu, and you need an allergen record for every dish so staff can answer correctly.
The safest approach is to show allergens right next to each dish on the menu. A digital menu makes this easy: the information is updated in one place and guests see it while choosing.
Four practical tips for the kitchen
Keep the labels of compound products such as ready sauces, spices and stocks; when a supplier changes, update the dish’s allergen record too.
Reduce cross-contact: use separate chopping boards and frying oil, clean surfaces, and if you can’t rule out the risk, tell the guest clearly.
Update a dish’s menu information the same day its recipe changes — this is hard with printed menus, but takes only a few seconds with a digital one.
Train staff to take allergy questions seriously and to check with the kitchen when unsure — “I don’t think so” is a risk.
Allergen guide
Show allergens on your menu without the hassle
In YouDesignMenu, you tick the 14 allergens on each dish; they appear in bold on the QR menu in 5 languages, and a legal notice appears automatically if information is missing. Calories are calculated from the recipe too.
Is a “may contain traces” warning mandatory?
No — it’s voluntary and doesn’t replace declaring the 14 allergens. Use it only where there’s a real cross-contact risk; adding it to every dish needlessly narrows your guests’ choices.
Can I describe a dish as gluten-free or lactose-free?
“Gluten-free” has a legal threshold — no more than 20 mg/kg in the EU and Turkey. If you can’t prevent cross-contact in your kitchen, use a more careful phrase such as “made without gluten-containing ingredients”.
Do drinks and cocktails count too?
Yes. Allergens such as sulphites in wine and beer, milk in lattes and milkshakes, or hazelnuts and almonds in some liqueurs should be shown on the drinks menu too.
This page is for information only and is not legal advice. Confirm the current rules in your country with the competent authority.