The 14 EU Allergens: Everything Food Service Professionals Need to Know
Why the 14 EU Allergens Affect Every Kitchen
Allergen labeling is not a recommendation — it is binding law. Since December 13, 2014, EU Regulation No. 1169/2011 (FIC — Food Information to Consumers) has obliged every food service business in Europe to provide comprehensive information on 14 mandatory major allergens. This obligation applies without exception: restaurant, takeaway, catering, delivery service, food truck, canteen.
The consequences of non-compliance are serious: fines of up to €50,000, civil liability claims in the event of personal injury, and in severe cases criminal prosecution. Above all: a guest with a severe food allergy can suffer a life-threatening anaphylactic shock if allergen information is incorrect or missing. For full details on the legal framework, see EU Regulation 1169/2011 in detail and EU FIC requirements for food service.This page is your central reference resource for all 14 allergens — from the overview table to individual detail pages, from hidden sources to correct labeling practice.
Overview Table: All 14 EU Allergens
The table below lists all 14 mandatory allergens under Annex II of EU Regulation No. 1169/2011, with typical food sources and links to detailed articles on each allergen. It serves as a quick reference — suitable for printing and posting in the kitchen. A free downloadable PDF is available at Download free allergen table as PDF.| No. | Allergen | Common Sources | Detail Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cereals containing gluten | Wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt | Gluten allergen in detail |
| 2 | Crustaceans | Shrimp, lobster, crab, scampi, krill | Crustacean allergen in detail |
| 3 | Eggs | Hen’s egg, yolk, egg white, egg powder | Egg allergen in detail |
| 4 | Fish | Salmon, cod, anchovies, tuna, fish sauce | Fish allergen in detail |
| 5 | Peanuts | Peanut oil, peanut butter, peanut flour | Peanut allergen in detail |
| 6 | Soybeans | Soy sauce, tofu, soy lecithin (E322), miso | Soy allergen in detail |
| 7 | Milk | Butter, cheese, cream, whey, lactose | Milk allergen in detail |
| 8 | Tree nuts | Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pistachios | Tree nut allergen in detail |
| 9 | Celery | Celeriac, celery stalks, celery salt, celery seed | Celery allergen in detail |
| 10 | Mustard | Mustard seeds, mustard powder, mustard paste | Mustard allergen in detail |
| 11 | Sesame seeds | Sesame oil, sesame seeds, tahini, halva | Sesame allergen in detail |
| 12 | Sulphur dioxide / Sulphites | Wine, dried fruit, potato products (E220–E228) | Sulphite allergen in detail |
| 13 | Lupin | Lupin flour, lupin protein in gluten-free products | Lupin allergen in detail |
| 14 | Molluscs | Mussels, squid, oysters, snails | Mollusc allergen in detail |
Important: these 14 allergens apply uniformly across all 27 EU member states under Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011. National implementing laws — such as Germany’s LMIDV — may add supplementary requirements (for example, conditions for oral allergen communication) but cannot reduce the declaration obligation for any of the 14 categories.
Where Do Allergens Hide? The Biggest Traps
Obvious allergen sources — nuts on a dessert, shrimp in a salad — are easy to identify. The real challenge for food service operators are the hidden sources in processed ingredients, ready-made sauces, and purchased convenience products.
Ready-made sauces and spice blends are the most frequent source of missed allergen declarations. Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies (fish). Soy sauce contains both soy and wheat (gluten). Commercial curry pastes frequently contain peanuts, shrimp paste, fish sauce, and mustard simultaneously. Ready-made salad dressings, bouillon powders, and Asian seasoning blends regularly contain multiple allergens not recognizable from the product name.
Batters and coatings typically combine three allergens at once: flour (gluten), egg as an adhesive layer, and milk in the batter or breadcrumb mix. A classic breaded veal cutlet alone contains allergens 1, 3, and 7.
Three concrete examples of hidden allergens:
- Caesar salad: Contains anchovies in the dressing (fish, No. 4), Parmesan (milk, No. 7), croutons (gluten, No. 1), and possibly Worcestershire sauce (fish No. 4 + soy No. 6)
- Vegan burger with lupin patty: Lupin flour (No. 13) in plant-based meat substitutes is a frequently overlooked source — particularly relevant for peanut-allergic guests due to the ~50% cross-reactivity rate between peanuts and lupin
- Dessert buffet: Chocolate mousse contains eggs (No. 3), milk (No. 7), and soy lecithin (No. 6); nut strudel contains gluten (No. 1), tree nuts (No. 8), and eggs (No. 3)
Legal Framework: What the Law Requires
EU Regulation No. 1169/2011 (FIC Regulation) is the directly applicable legal basis in all EU member states. It requires that all 14 allergens listed in Annex II be made clearly identifiable whenever they are used as ingredients — through visual emphasis in the ingredient list: bold type, italics, uppercase lettering, or a contrasting color.
In Germany, the LMIDV (Lebensmittelinformations-Durchführungsverordnung) supplements the FIC with national implementation details. The LMIDV permits oral allergen communication under two simultaneously fulfilled conditions: a clearly visible notice in the dining area must inform guests that oral allergen information is available on request, and complete written documentation must exist in the background, accessible to staff at all times. In France and several other EU member states, written declaration is mandatory without exception.
**Documentation obligation:** For every dish, the allergens present must be traceable from the ingredient lists and product data sheets of the suppliers, documented in writing, and available for food safety inspectors on request. Undocumented allergen information is as legally problematic as missing allergen information. For the full legal framework, see EU Regulation 1169/2011 and EU FIC for food service.Labeling in Practice
The most widely used and legally robust system in European food service is the letter footnote system: each dish is followed by a bracketed suffix containing letters (A–N) corresponding to the allergens it contains, with a complete legend at the foot of each menu page decoding each letter. Additives (preservatives, flavour enhancers) are indicated with separate numbers.
Alternative approaches:
- Symbol systems using standardized icons (wheat ear, milk drop, egg)
- A separate allergen table as an appendix to the menu
- An allergen folder at the counter containing complete documentation for all dishes
Cross-Contamination: The Underestimated Risk
Cross-contamination is the unintentional transfer of allergen traces to a product that was originally allergen-free — through shared utensils, work surfaces, frying oils, or even cooking aerosols.
Typical sources in the kitchen:
- Shared deep fryers used after shrimp, fish, or breaded products
- Cutting boards and knives without thorough cleaning between allergen-containing and allergen-free preparations
- Hand residues after handling peanuts or tree nuts
- Steam from cooking crustaceans or fish (in highly sensitized individuals)
How ChinaYung Helps with Allergen Labeling
Manual allergen documentation is time-consuming and error-prone — particularly when suppliers change formulations without explicit notification. ChinaYung automates the entire process.
**How it works:** You upload a supplier invoice. ChinaYung automatically identifies all products and ingredients, maps them to the ingredient database, and calculates all 14 allergens for each of your dishes — instantly, completely, and in compliance with EU FIC. When ingredients or suppliers change, allergen documentation updates automatically. The result appears directly on your digital menu — ready for guests and food safety inspectors alike. For full details: ChinaYung for your restaurant.Automate Allergen Labeling
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which 14 allergens must be labeled in the EU?
Under Annex II of EU Regulation No. 1169/2011 (FIC Regulation), the following 14 substances and products are subject to mandatory allergen declaration: 1. Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt), 2. Crustaceans and products thereof, 3. Eggs and products thereof, 4. Fish and products thereof, 5. Peanuts and products thereof, 6. Soybeans and products thereof, 7. Milk and products thereof (including lactose), 8. Tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts), 9. Celery and products thereof, 10. Mustard and products thereof, 11. Sesame seeds and products thereof, 12. Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (above 10 mg/kg), 13. Lupin and products thereof, 14. Molluscs and products thereof.
This list applies directly and uniformly in all 27 EU member states under EU Regulation No. 1169/2011. National laws — such as Germany’s LMIDV — may add supplementary implementing requirements, but no member state may reduce the declaration obligation for any of these 14 categories. The declaration applies whenever any of these substances is used as an ingredient in a dish, regardless of quantity.
Why exactly 14 allergens?
The 14-allergen list is grounded in scientific and epidemiological data on the frequency and clinical severity of food allergies across the European population. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessed which substances cause the most significant burden of allergic disease in Europe — specifically the allergens most likely to trigger serious reactions, including anaphylaxis — and these 14 were identified as warranting mandatory consumer information.
Other major regulatory frameworks have reached different conclusions, reflecting different dietary patterns and epidemiological data. The US currently recognizes 9 major allergens since the FASTER Act (2023) added sesame. China is introducing its own list under GB 7718-2024, effective March 2027. The EU’s list of 14 is the world’s most comprehensive mandatory framework. The list can be expanded — sesame’s addition in the US demonstrates that allergen lists are not static. It is also important to understand the distinction between true allergy (immune-mediated) and intolerance: lactose intolerance is an enzyme deficiency, not a milk allergy — but milk as a category falls under the EU mandatory list regardless of the mechanism.
Where do allergens hide in food?
Hidden allergens are the single greatest practical challenge for allergen compliance in food service. Concrete examples from everyday kitchen practice: soy sauce contains both soy (No. 6) and wheat/gluten (No. 1) — a single wok dish can immediately involve two allergens without being identified as a „soy or wheat dish.“ Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies (fish, No. 4). Commercial curry pastes frequently contain peanuts, shrimp paste, fish sauce, and celery simultaneously. Ready-made Caesar dressing contains anchovy paste. Margarine in some formulations contains whey (milk, No. 7). Halva contains sesame (No. 11).
Processed convenience products are the primary source of hidden allergens in food service — because manufacturers can reformulate products without the change being obvious to the purchaser. Request an up-to-date product data sheet from every supplier at every product or formulation change. The review of ingredient lists for every purchased product is not optional — it is a legal obligation that underpins the accuracy of your allergen declarations.
Do I need to list all 14 allergens on the menu?
No — you are required to declare only the allergens that are actually present in your dishes. The obligation is not to list all 14 on every menu item, but to declare which of the 14 EU-listed allergens are contained in each dish. A dish containing no nuts, celery, or sulphites does not need to reference those allergens.
What you are unconditionally required to maintain is complete documentation for every dish — from which the allergens actually present can be traced and verified against supplier ingredient lists. This documentation must be available for food safety inspectors on request and must be updated immediately whenever a recipe or supplier changes. Oral allergen communication is permissible in Germany under strict conditions, but written labeling on the menu is strongly recommended as the legally safer approach, providing clear evidence for guests and protection for the business in the event of a complaint or inspection. For practical implementation guidance, see Allergens on the menu.Is there a free printable allergen table?
Yes — ChinaYung provides a free allergen table as a downloadable PDF. It contains all 14 EU mandatory allergens with their official designations, standard allergen icons, typical food sources, and space for annotating your own dishes. It is suitable as a kitchen wall poster, as a supplement to the printed menu, and as a training reference for staff. The PDF is available at Free allergen table PDF.An important practical note: a static printed or PDF allergen table requires manual updating every time a recipe changes or a supplier modifies a product formulation. If a supplier changes an ingredient without explicit notification — which happens regularly in commercial food supply chains — the allergen content of a dish may change without anyone in the kitchen realizing it. For operations with more than ten dishes or frequent ingredient changes, a digital solution like ChinaYung — which calculates allergen information automatically from current supplier data and updates in real time when ingredients change — provides substantially greater accuracy and legal protection than any static document.
Last updated: March 2026 · ChinaYung — Allergen labeling for food service