The 14 EU allergens: how to show them clearly on a digital menu

In the EU, food businesses must provide information about 14 major allergens, including for food that isn't pre-packed, like dishes in a restaurant. Digital menus make this far easier to do well.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules on how the information must be given vary by country, so check with your local food authority.

The 14 allergens

Annex II of EU Regulation 1169/2011 lists:

1. Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut)
2. Crustaceans
3. Eggs
4. Fish
5. Peanuts
6. Soybeans
7. Milk (including lactose)
8. Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamias)
9. Celery
10. Mustard
11. Sesame seeds
12. Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre)
13. Lupin
14. Molluscs

The UK uses the same 14 allergens.

Why footnotes don't work

Printed menus often hide allergens in tiny numbered footnotes. Guests with allergies end up asking staff about every dish. That slows service and increases the risk of mistakes.

Good allergen display on a digital menu

• On the dish: badges or numbers right next to the item, not on a separate page.
• A legend: what each number or icon means, in the guest's language.
• Dietary tags: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and so on, kept separate from allergens.
• Live updates: when a supplier changes and the recipe changes, update it once and it's correct everywhere.
• A clear note: remind guests to tell staff about severe allergies, since cross-contamination can't be ruled out.

Dishfolio supports all 14 EU allergens and the common dietary tags, with a legend in every menu language.

Never let software guess

Automated tools can misread a menu or "helpfully" infer that pesto contains nuts or that a dish is vegan. Dishfolio never infers allergens or dietary claims. If an imported menu mentions allergens, the text is kept as a note and the dish can't be published until a person confirms the allergens. Translated allergen claims are also marked for review.

Quick checklist

1. Record allergens per dish, including sauces and garnishes.
2. Show them on the dish and include a legend.
3. Update them the day a recipe or supplier changes.
4. Train staff to treat the menu as the starting point and confirm with the kitchen.