An estimated 21 million people in the UK have at least one allergy, while the gluten-free market – now worth around £136m – is expanding.
The new EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation (EU FIR 1169/2011), which comes into force on 13 December 2014, requires both manufacturers and caterers to warn customers of the presence of 14 key allergens, including nuts and gluten.
Andrew Ely, managing director, Almondy commented: “The new regulations mean a major shake-up in how manufacturers provide allergen warnings, but it is a whole new ball game for the catering industry. We have set the ball rolling for our customers by providing clear signage that will make it easier for them to accommodate the new demands being made on them.”
The new packaging for the Almondy range will highlight any potential allergens in bold text on its ingredients list. This falls in line with the new rules, which aim to consolidate general and nutritional information into one place - the ingredients list - and to outlaw the use of statements such as “contains nuts” elsewhere on the packaging.
As the new regulations do allow separate alerts over possible accidental contamination by small amounts of potential allergens, all Almondy packs will carry a “May contain traces of peanuts and other nuts” warning.
Free-from statements are unaffected by the new labelling laws, so Almondy will continue to emphasise the naturally gluten-free credentials of its cakes.
Caterers have the added reassurance of knowing that the cakes are 100% safe for gluten-intolerant customers as they are made in a dedicated and certified gluten-free bakery that eliminates any risk of cross-contamination during production.
Top tips for caterers
Caterers can list allergen information on a chalk board or chart
Staff can provide information about allergens in dishes orally
If the information is not provided upfront, caterers need to clearly signpost where this information can be obtained.
Catering staff should routinely ask diners if they have any allergies