The law in brief
In the UK, food businesses must be able to tell customers if any of the 14 major allergens are in the food they serve, including food that isn’t pre-packed (FSA: allergen guidance for food businesses). Ask your caterer for the allergen information for every dish.
The 14 major allergens
Celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, soya and sulphur dioxide (sulphites).
Hog roast allergens to watch
- Gluten in standard rolls and usually in stuffing
- Milk in halloumi and in some rolls
- Egg and mustard in coleslaw and some sauces
- Sulphites in some sauces and dressings
Gluten-free rolls are available on request.
Collecting dietary needs
Put a dietary and allergy question on invitations, RSVPs or sign-up forms, and pass the details to your caterer in good time.
On the day
Ask for allergen information to be available at the serving station, and alternatives labelled clearly.
Asking guests the right way
A tick-box for ‘vegetarian’ isn’t enough. Ask guests to write down any allergies or intolerances, and how serious they are. ‘Coeliac’ is very different from ‘prefers to avoid bread’. Pass the exact wording to your caterer, along with names if the meal is plated, so the right food reaches the right person.
Cross-contact at outdoor events
At a hog roast, food is prepared and served in a shared area. Caterers can keep alternatives separate, use separate utensils and label everything, but most can’t promise a completely allergen-free environment. If someone has a severe allergy, talk to the caterer directly before the day, and make sure the guest knows what they can safely eat.
Who to tell on the day
Give the caterer’s team a short list of guests with serious allergies and what they’ve asked for. At a plated meal, this goes to whoever is serving; at a serving station, to the chef. Make sure the guest knows who to ask, too.
Children with allergies
At family events, children may not be able to explain their allergies. Ask parents in advance, and make sure an adult checks with the serving team before children are served.
What a good caterer will do
- Give you allergen information for every dish before the event
- Ask you about guests’ allergies
- Label food at the serving station
- Keep alternatives separate where they can
- Tell guests honestly what they can and can’t guarantee
Sesame and mustard
Sesame is one of the 14 major allergens, and it can appear on bread rolls as seeds, or in some dressings. Mustard can turn up in dressings and coleslaw. Check both if anyone is affected.
Keeping records
Keep the caterer’s allergen information with your event paperwork, and share it with anyone helping on the day.
Quick answers
Must caterers tell me about allergens?
Yes, for the 14 major allergens.
Can you guarantee food is allergen-free?
Ask your caterer; most can’t guarantee no cross-contact in a shared cooking area.
Planning an event? Tell us about it and we’ll check the date and send a quote.