When someone has a food allergy, eating even a small bit of that food can make them very ill. Sometimes they could even die. So, when you are at work or entertaining at home, it's very important for you to take food allergy seriously.

Which ingredients can cause a problem?
These are some of the foods people may be allergic to and some of the places where they may be found:



Celery including celery stalks, leaves and seeds and celeriac, in salads, soups, celery salt, some meat products




Cereals containing gluten such as wheat, rye and barley and foods containing flour, such as bread, pasta, gluten cakes, pastry, meat products, sauces, soups, batter, stock cubes, breadcrumbs, foods dusted with flour

Crustacea such as prawns, lobster, scampi, crab, shrimp paste




Eggs in cakes, mousses, sauces, pasta, quiche, some meat products, mayonnaise, foods brushed with egg




Fish in some salad dressings, pizzas, relishes, fish sauce and some soy and Worcestershire sauces




Lupin, lupin seeds and flour in some types of bread and pastries




Milk in yoghurt, cream, cheese, butter, milk powders, foods glazed with milk




Molluscs such as mussels, whelks, squid, land snails, oyster sauce




Mustard including liquid mustard, mustard powder and mustard seeds, in salad dressings, marinades, soups, sauces, curries, meat products




Nuts in sauces, desserts, crackers, bread, ice cream, marzipan, ground almonds, nut oils,Peanuts in sauces, cakes, desserts, groundnut oil, peanut flour




Sesame in bread, breadsticks, tahini, houmous, seeds sesame oil




Soya as tofu or beancurd, soya flour and textured soya protein, in some ice cream, sauces, desserts, meat products, vegetarian products




Sulphur in meat products, fruit juice drinks, dried dioxide fruit and vegetables, wine, beer


7 tips on food allergy

1. When someone asks you if a food contains a particular ingredient, always check every time - never guess.
If you check but you're still not sure, tell the customer so they can decide for themselves.

2. If you are selling a food that contains one or more of the ingredients which can cause a problem, list them on the label or menu - and make sure the information is accurate.

3. Keep up-to-date ingredients information for any ready-made foods that you use (for example, a filling you put in a sandwich).The ingredients might be on the original label or invoice.

4. When you are making food, make sure you know what is in all the ingredients you use, including cooking oils, dressings, toppings, sauces and garnishes.

5. If you change the ingredients of a food, make sure you update your ingredients information and tell other staff about the change.

6. If someone asks you to make some food for them that does not contain a particular ingredient, don't say yes unless you can make sure that absolutely none of that ingredient will be in the food.

7. If you're making food for someone with an allergy, make sure work surfaces and equipment have been thoroughly cleaned. And wash your hands thoroughly before preparing that food.

For more information visit safefood.eu or fsa.co.uk (food standards agency)