Food businesses unprepared for new allergen regulations, law firm warns
By Nicola Hutchins
Restaurants and cafés are being warned that they face being hit with a hefty fine or civil action if they are not ready when new European regulations are enforced later this year.
New
regulations on food labelling which require allergens such as peanuts
and shellfish to be clearly signposted on food were published in
December 2011 – and manufacturers have been given until December
2014 to comply with their provisions.
Many
cafés, restaurants and catering businesses may be unaware that the
regulations also apply to them. Even when they are serving up food
that has been removed from its packaging, staff should be ready to
answer questions on ingredients and about which allergens may be
present.
Regulation
(EU) No. 1169/2011 specifically requires 14 separate allergens to be
highlighted in ingredients lists and is part of a raft of new
measures aimed at making sure consumers know exactly what their food
contains.
Business
including cafes, restaurants, pubs and even mobile caterers which
fail to comply will leave themselves vulnerable to legal action, and
the possibility of a fine in the criminal courts.
This
legislation specifically requires allergens to be highlighted in
ingredients lists on food packaging – but restaurants, cafes and
take-aways may not know that the new rules also carry huge implications
for any business that serves food to its customers as they also apply
to food served without packaging.
Business
owners and their staff should be ready to quickly and accurately
answer questions on which allergens are present in the dishes on
offer. It may be helpful to have a list of ingredients for each menu
item at hand to ensure that the information is readily available.
Businesses
should always be ready for the possibility that they may be inspected
by their local Environmental Health officers – and failure could
carry a fine of up to £5,000 per offence. Perhaps more worryingly,
they leave themselves open to legal action if they serve up food
containing allergens to an allergy sufferer who has asked for
information about ingredients and has ordered in reliance of
incorrect information.
Business
owners who are unsure about the rules and how they might be affected
should make sure they take advice well before they begin to be
enforced in December to ensure they are compliant with the new
regulations.
This legislation specifically requires allergens to be highlighted in ingredients lists on food packaging – but restaurants, cafes and take-aways may not know that the new rules also carry huge implications for any business that serves food to its customers as they also apply to food served without packaging.
Businesses may also be inspected by Trading Standard officers who have a duty to enforce the allergen rules via the Food Information Regulations which implement the Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011
ReplyDeleteBusinesses may also receive a telephone call by either Trading Standards or EHO.
ReplyDeleteThis article is not correct. The requirement for loose foods is to provide information about the presence of allergenic ingredients. The provision of ingredients lists with allergens emphasised is a requirement for prepacked foods such as bags of crisps, tins of soup for example.
ReplyDeleteThe allergen ingredients information for loose foods can be provided in writing or orally. If provided orally, this needs to be verifiable to esnure information is consistent and accurate. The Food Standards Agency has advice and resources to help collect allergen information and on the allergen rules on www.food.gov.uk/allergen-resources