The 14 Allergens: A Plain-English Guide for UK Food Businesses

Why the 14 allergens matter

Allergic reactions to food can range from mild discomfort to life-threatening anaphylaxis. For food businesses in the UK, declaring allergens is not optional — it is a legal requirement under retained EU law (the Food Information for Consumers Regulation), enforced by the FSA and your local Environmental Health team.

Every food business must be able to tell customers, on request, which of the 14 allergens are present in any dish or product they sell. How you communicate that information depends on how the food is sold — but the obligation to know is universal.

The 14 allergens

1. Celery

Includes the stalks, leaves, seeds, and root. Found in celery salt, some stocks, soups, sauces, and certain spice blends. Often overlooked because it appears as an ingredient rather than the food itself.

2. Cereals containing gluten

Wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut, and any hybrids of these. Found in bread, pasta, pastry, batter, coatings, sauces thickened with flour, and many processed foods. One of the most commonly encountered allergens in catering.

3. Crustaceans

Prawns, crabs, lobster, crayfish, and similar shellfish. Found in shellfish dishes, some sauces, stocks, and Southeast Asian pastes. Distinct from molluscs, which are listed separately.

4. Eggs

Found in baked goods, pasta, mayonnaise, glazes, quiche, and many sauces. Also used in some wines and beers as a fining agent — worth noting if you sell drinks as well as food.

5. Fish

All fish species are covered. Found in fish dishes, Worcestershire sauce, Caesar dressing, some Asian sauces (fish sauce, nam pla), and certain stocks. Cross-contamination risk is significant in kitchens that handle both fish and non-fish dishes.

6. Lupin

A flowering plant whose seeds are ground into flour, used in some bread, pastry, and pasta products. Less well known than other allergens but capable of causing severe reactions. Often appears as a wheat flour substitute in gluten-free products.

7. Milk

Includes all cow's milk and products derived from it — butter, cheese, cream, yoghurt, ghee, and many processed foods. Also present in some crisps, chocolate, and ready meals where it may not be immediately obvious.

8. Molluscs

Clams, mussels, oysters, scallops, squid, octopus, and snails. Found in seafood dishes, some Asian sauces, and paella. As noted above, distinct from crustaceans.

9. Mustard

Covers the plant, its seeds, leaves, and any products derived from them — including mustard powder, paste, and oil. Found in dressings, marinades, some bread, and processed meats. Mustard is frequently present as a flavouring even where it is not obvious.

10. Nuts (tree nuts)

Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, macadamia nuts, and Brazil nuts. Distinct from peanuts, which are a legume and listed separately. Found in desserts, confectionery, sauces, pesto, and some savoury dishes.

11. Peanuts

A legume, not a tree nut, though the allergic response can be equally severe. Found in satay sauces, some curries, confectionery, and products labelled as containing mixed nuts. Cross-contamination is a significant risk in any kitchen handling peanuts.

12. Sesame

Seeds and oil. Found in bread, houmous, tahini, some salad dressings, and Asian dishes. Sesame oil is used as a finishing ingredient in many recipes and may not be declared prominently on supplier packaging.

13. Soya

Found in tofu, edamame, miso, soy sauce, and many processed foods as a filler or protein source. Also present in some meat products, bread, and chocolate. One of the more widely distributed allergens across processed ingredients.

14. Sulphur dioxide and sulphites

Used as a preservative. Found in wine, beer, dried fruit, some processed meats, pickled foods, and soft drinks. Declared when present at concentrations above 10mg/kg or 10mg/litre.

Your obligations as a food business

For food sold loose or served at the table

You must be able to provide allergen information to customers on request. This can be done verbally, but you must have accurate written records to refer to — and your staff must know where to find them. Telling a customer "I think it's fine" is not sufficient and carries legal risk.

For pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) food

This is where Natasha's Law applies. If you prepare and pack food on your premises for customers to select themselves — a wrapped sandwich, a labelled cake slice, a meal-prep pot — it must carry a full ingredients list with allergens emphasised (typically in bold). This has been a legal requirement since October 2021.

For pre-packed food

Full allergen labelling must appear on the packaging. This applies to food packed elsewhere before it reaches your premises.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming an ingredient is allergen-free without checking the supplier specification
• Failing to update allergen information when a recipe or supplier changes
• Staff giving verbal assurances without checking documented records
• Overlooking allergens in sauces, stocks, and compound ingredients

A practical starting point

The most reliable way to manage allergen information is to build it into your recipes from the start — listing every ingredient and cross-referencing against the 14. An allergen matrix, with each dish as a row and each allergen as a column, gives you and your staff a quick reference that can also be shared with customers.

For more on how Natasha's Law affects businesses selling PPDS food specifically, see our guide to Natasha's Law and PPDS labelling.