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Brussels, |
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Food Safety Allergies
EU food allergen rules are designed to protect consumers with food allergies and intolerances by requiring clear and consistent food information. Under the EU framework, allergen labelling is mandatory because accurate ingredient information is essential for consumer safety.
In the EU, 14 allergens must be clearly declared when they are used as ingredients in food products. For prepacked foods, allergens must be emphasised within the ingredients list, for example through a different font, style or background colour. For non-prepacked foods such as meals sold in restaurants, cafés or deli counters, allergen information must also be available; it may be communicated verbally, but consumers must be clearly told how to obtain it, and written information must be available on request.
The Commission also explains that precautionary statements such as “may contain” may be used where there is a real risk of unintentional allergen presence due to cross-contamination, but they must be based on a proper risk assessment and cannot replace good manufacturing practices. Enforcement is the responsibility of Member States, which must monitor compliance and establish penalties for non-compliance. The wider legal framework is linked to the EU rules on Food information to consumers.
In the EU, 14 allergens must be clearly declared when they are used as ingredients in food products. For prepacked foods, allergens must be emphasised within the ingredients list, for example through a different font, style or background colour. For non-prepacked foods such as meals sold in restaurants, cafés or deli counters, allergen information must also be available; it may be communicated verbally, but consumers must be clearly told how to obtain it, and written information must be available on request.
The Commission also explains that precautionary statements such as “may contain” may be used where there is a real risk of unintentional allergen presence due to cross-contamination, but they must be based on a proper risk assessment and cannot replace good manufacturing practices. Enforcement is the responsibility of Member States, which must monitor compliance and establish penalties for non-compliance. The wider legal framework is linked to the EU rules on Food information to consumers.
The Commission also links to additional resources on food allergens from EFSA, the Commission notice in EUR-Lex, and the EU page on Food information to consumers – legislation.
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