Food allergies
A food allergy is when the body's immune system reacts unusually to specific foods. Although allergic reactions are often mild, they can be very serious and result in death. Food law has identified 14 allergens which must be declared if any of them are present in food. However, be aware that apart from the 14 identified allergens, individuals may be allergic or have intolerance to other food or ingredients.
Food businesses must be able to inform customers if any food they provide contains any of the listed allergens as an ingredient, either verbally or in writing.
The 14 allergens are:
- Celery
- Cereals containing gluten (such as barley and oats)
- Crustaceans (such as prawns, crabs and lobsters)
- Eggs
- Fish
- Lupin
- Milk
- Molluscs (such as mussels and oysters)
- Mustard
- Peanuts
- Sesame
- Soybeans
- Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (if they're at a concentration of more than ten parts per million)
- Tree nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts)
This list of allergens also applies to additives, processing aids and any other substances which are present in the final product.
Find more information about allergens on the Food Standards Agency website.
Page last updated: 27 April 2021
