A CAFE owner has said changes to the law over displaying food allergens have not been made clear.

New rules mean cafes, delis, restaurants and pubs must display a breakdown of 14 allergens that could be among the ingredients of food they serve up which could trigger an allergic reaction in customers.

The law, introduced by the Food Standards Agency in conjunction with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, comes into effect on December 13.

Fabien Gautier, who manages Summertown patisserie Gatineau, said he had not been made fully aware of the implications of the changes.

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He said: “It’s a bit of an unknown and it’s not very clear to us at the moment. It hasn’t really been advertised very well.

“There are 14 allergens that we have to mention either on documentation behind the counter or on a board to tell people if they are in our products.

“We’ll have to re-do all our labelling and print new menus – all of these things cost money. It’s a little more complicated, I don’t know what is going to happen.”

Ori Halup, owner of The Missing Bean coffee shop in Turl Street, said the changes would be manageable. He said: “I’ve been doing an online course on how to comply with changes. We are making a sheet that staff can use to answer any question customers might have. We’ll mark down all the allergens that are in the food so that staff are aware.

“It’s nothing major, a 20-minute job will implement the changes for us. It’s a good move on the whole, there are a lot allergens that can be quite dangerous.”

Martin Aldridge, 66, of Abingdon, started in the catering industry aged 11 and has set up a consultancy firm to advise restaurants, pubs and cafes.

The former caterer said many cafes were under-prepared.

He said: “I don’t think the smaller, independent cafes know what they should be asking for. The suppliers for larger companies are bending over backwards to provide this allergen information but the smaller cafes are being left in the dark.”

Food Standards Agency spokeswoman Nadina Mustafa said: “The primary cause of allergy deaths is from foods consumed outside the home so the legislation will mean consumers can avoid foods that make them ill.

“The FSA has been working closely with local authorities and businesses to communicate these changes by helping food businesses get ready.”

Businesses can go to food.gov.uk to find out more information or speak to their local authority food safety officer.

14 INGREDIENTS

  • cereals containing gluten: declaration of wheat (such as spelt and Khorasan), rye, barley, oats and their hybridised strains)
  • crustaceans
  • eggs
  • fish
  • peanuts
  • soybeans
  • milk
  • nuts: declaration of almond, hazelnut, walnut, cashew, pecan nut, Brazil nut, pistachio nut and macadamia nut (also known as Queensland nut)
  • celery
  • mustard
  • sesame
  • sulphur dioxide or sulphites (where added is present at more than 10mg/kg)
  • lupin
  • molluscs

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