Food Standards Agency (FSA) opens a public consultation into new Best Practice Guidance for the provision of Allergen Information for Non-Prepacked Foods. Current legislation requires food businesses to tell customers if the food they are serving contains any of the 14 notifiable allergens, choosing whether they provide this information in writing or verbally. The FSA… Read more »
In recent years, the rise of vegan diets has increased the variety and availability of plant-based alternatives to dairy products. Consumers now have an array of options; from almond, oat and soy ‘milk’ to vegan ‘cheese’, ‘yogurt’ and ‘cream’. However, UK food producers face significant challenges in naming these products due to stringent regulations prohibiting… Read more »
Since creating Menu Guide, we’ve encountered an increasingly diverse range of foods that may cause allergic reactions in adults and children. We’ve also found that the list of foods legally classified as allergens may vary by country. In the UK, 14 foods are legally required to be declared as allergens. These are: celery, cereals containing… Read more »
The Patterns and Prevalence of Adult Food Allergy (PAFA) report, published in May 2024 by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has found that around 6% of the UK adult population are estimated to have a clinically confirmed food allergy. This equates to around 2.4 million people. Food allergy, also known as hypersensitivity, is caused by… Read more »
Is vegan food safe for people with food allergies? Many people choose to eat plant-based foods for a variety of reasons; from ethical concerns to environmental impact. But, for those with food allergies, the seemingly safe haven of vegan-labelled products may not be as secure as it appears. Vegan labelling is not the same as… Read more »
Legal requirements for UK food businesses If you run a food business in the UK, you must comply with the relevant legislation. Here’s a quick recap and the most recent developments to bring you up to date: 6 April 2022 – Mandatory calorie labelling on menus A new requirement for large food businesses (with more… Read more »