Menu-wide allergen information matrix covering the 14 legally recognised allergens — required under the Food Information Regulations 2014 / retained EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation 1169/2011 for any food business.
⚠️ This is a blank template, not legal advice: check the wording with a lawyer and adapt it to your jurisdiction and your case.
ALLERGEN MATRIX
Business name Last updated: Last updated — responsible for accuracy: Responsible for accuracy
This matrix records allergen information for our menu, in accordance with the Food Information Regulations 2014 (implementing the retained EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation 1169/2011), which require information on the 14 legally recognised allergens to be provided for every food sold.
1. THE 14 ALLERGENS 1.1. The 14 legally recognised allergens
2. MENU ITEMS AND ALLERGENS 2.1. Menu items and their allergens 2.2. For each dish, allergens are marked as "contains", "may contain" (risk of cross-contamination), or not marked if absent and not at cross-contamination risk.
3. CROSS-CONTAMINATION 3.1. Cross-contamination precautions
4. HOW CUSTOMERS ARE INFORMED 4.1. Allergen information is given verbally by trained staff, and our menu carries the following signal phrase directing guests to ask before ordering: Signal phrase on the menu This matrix is available to customers on request. Training: every member of staff who prepares or serves food receives allergen awareness training before starting work, refreshed at least annually and whenever the menu changes. Training records are kept with this matrix.
5. PREPACKED FOR DIRECT SALE (PPDS) ITEMS 5.1. PPDS labelling note (Natasha's Law) 5.2. Since 1 October 2021 ("Natasha's Law"), any food packed on these premises before a customer orders it (e.g. sandwiches or salads in a display chiller) must carry a label with the full product name and a full ingredients list, with the 14 allergens emphasised (e.g. bold, underlined, or in a different colour).
6. REVIEW 6.1. This matrix is reviewed: Review frequency, and immediately whenever a recipe or supplier ingredient changes.
— — — ⚠️ This is a boilerplate template, not legal advice. Employment, consumer-protection, food safety, and health & safety law in the United Kingdom differs between England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and is changing significantly through 2026–2027 under the Employment Rights Act 2025 — have this document reviewed and adapted by a solicitor (and, for disciplinary/grievance matters, checked against the current Acas Code of Practice at acas.org.uk) before use.
Fields that belong to a switched-off clause are dimmed — they are not asked for.
Celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide/sulphites
List each dish and which of the 14 allergens it "contains" or "may contain" (cross-contamination)
Kitchen practices used to reduce the risk of cross-contact between allergens
e.g. "Please speak to a member of staff about allergens before you order"
Food prepacked for direct sale on-site (e.g. sandwiches, grab-and-go salads) needs a label with the full ingredient list and allergens emphasised
1 of 9 fields are taken from the company, employee or counterparty record, the questionnaire can be dictated to the AI, and the finished document comes with a number, a PDF and an acknowledgement record.