The 14 UK Food Allergens: Complete Guide for Consumers and Caterers

UK food law requires 14 allergens to be declared in all food labelling and, for food businesses, in menus and allergen information provided to customers. These 14 substances account for the majority of serious allergic reactions in the UK population. For anyone managing a food allergy — or for an office manager commissioning catering for a mixed team — understanding what each allergen is, where it hides, and what adequate allergen management looks like in practice is genuinely useful knowledge.

The 14 regulated allergens and their hidden sources

The list below covers each allergen and the less obvious places it appears. The obvious sources (wheat in bread, milk in cheese) are widely known; the hidden sources are where reactions most commonly catch people off-guard.

Cereals containing gluten — wheat, barley, rye, oats (unless specifically labelled gluten-free). Found in most sauces (thickened with flour), soy sauce (typically contains wheat), processed meats, and many ready-made soups.
Crustaceans — prawns, crab, lobster, crayfish. Found in some fish stocks, bisques, and prawn crackers.
Eggs — found in baked goods, pasta, mayonnaise, coatings and breadcrumbs, some salad dressings, and ice cream.
Fish — Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies. Some Caesar dressings and certain stocks contain fish-derived ingredients.
Peanuts — technically a legume, not a tree nut. Found in groundnut oil (though highly refined oils may not carry the allergen), satay sauces, and some West African and Asian dishes.
Soybeans — tofu, edamame, miso, many processed foods including bread and dairy alternatives. Soy lecithin and soy protein isolate appear widely in packaged food.
Milk — butter, cheese, cream, most commercially baked goods, milk powder in processed foods and some crisps, and some non-dairy spreads that contain milk derivatives.
Tree nuts — almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts. Found in marzipan, praline, some oils, pesto (pine nuts, though pine nuts are sometimes debated as to allergen classification), and many confectionery items.
Celery — found in soups, stocks, some crisps, spice blends, and celery salt used in seasoning.
Mustard — condiments, dressings, some curry powders, and marinades. Mustard seeds and mustard powder both carry the allergen.
Sesame — tahini, hummus, sesame oil, some breads and bagels, and some Asian dishes. Sesame is increasingly prevalent in processed foods.
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites — dried fruits, wine, cider, some ready meals, pickled foods, and some processed meats. Declared when present above 10 parts per million.
Lupin — lupin flour and lupin seeds appear in some gluten-free products, some pasta, and some baked goods. Cross-reacts with peanut allergy in some individuals.
Molluscs — oysters, mussels, squid, octopus, clams, scallops. Present in some sauces, particularly East and Southeast Asian condiments.

What Natasha's Law requires from food businesses

Natasha's Law came into effect in October 2021 and applies to all food that is prepacked for direct sale — meaning food packaged at the same premises from which it is sold, before a customer selects it. This covers individually packaged lunches delivered by a corporate caterer to an office, items packaged in advance in a café or deli, and similar formats.

The requirement is a full ingredients list on the packaging, with all 14 allergens emphasised — typically in bold — wherever they appear. This is a significant step beyond the previous position, which required only the name of the food and an allergen warning. Under Natasha's Law, a customer with any of the 14 allergens can read the full ingredients list and make an informed decision about every item they pick up.

For loose food sold in restaurants, cafés, and similar settings, allergen information must still be available — either in writing (an allergen matrix or menu annotation) or verbally through staff who have been trained to provide it accurately. Verbal allergen information carries risk, because it depends on the knowledge and attentiveness of the individual member of staff at the time.

How to read allergen information correctly

On prepacked food, look for allergens highlighted in the ingredients list. If no ingredients list is present, that is a compliance issue with the food business, not a reason to assume the product is allergen-free. For loose or catered food, ask for the allergen matrix — a document that maps each dish to the allergens it contains. A competent food business should be able to provide this without hesitation.

Two additional things to check beyond the declared allergen list:

Precautionary "may contain" statements — these indicate that a product may have been exposed to an allergen through shared equipment or production environment, even though the allergen is not an ingredient. For IgE-mediated allergies and for coeliac disease, these warnings should be taken seriously.
Supplier allergen status — a caterer's allergen information is only as accurate as their supplier information. Ask whether the caterer reviews allergen data from ingredient suppliers and how frequently they update their allergen matrix when formulations change.

The difference between procedural and structural allergen management

When a caterer tells you they "take allergen precautions," that is procedural management — they use separate equipment, train staff, and follow protocols. This reduces risk but does not eliminate it, because procedures can be imperfectly followed. When a caterer tells you an ingredient is not present in their kitchen at all, that is structural management — the contamination source has been removed.

Vanda's Kitchen operates a 100% nut-free kitchen: no nuts — neither peanuts nor tree nuts — are permitted into the building. Every item carries full Natasha's Law allergen labelling covering all 14 allergens. For allergens other than nuts, the kitchen operates procedural management, including a documented allergen matrix available at vandaskitchen.co.uk/pages/allergen-matrix.

Briefing a caterer: the right questions

When ordering catering for a team with known allergies, the following questions are worth asking explicitly:

Can I see the allergen matrix for the full menu before I place an order?
For the specific allergen in question, is it present anywhere in your kitchen, or is it structurally excluded?
How do you handle supplier changes that might affect allergen status?
Are gluten-free or allergen-free items prepared on dedicated equipment or simply on equipment that has been cleaned?
Do your labels include "may contain" statements, and are those statements reliable?

These questions are not excessive. A food business operating to a good standard should be able to answer all of them clearly and without hesitation.

For genuinely allergen-safe catering across London — independently halal-certified, 100% nut-free and fully allergen-labelled under Natasha’s Law — browse our catering shop or WhatsApp the kitchen.

Frequently asked questions

What are the 14 allergens that must be declared under UK law?

Cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, tree nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, lupin, and molluscs. These must be emphasised in the ingredients list on prepacked food and must be available as allergen information for loose food sold by food businesses.

What does Natasha's Law actually require on packaging?

Since October 2021, food that is prepacked for direct sale must carry a full ingredients list with all 14 allergens emphasised — typically in bold — wherever they appear in the ingredients. This applies to individually packaged lunches delivered to offices, items pre-packaged in cafés, and similar formats. The name of the food and an allergen warning alone is no longer sufficient.

What is a "may contain" statement and should I take it seriously?

A precautionary "may contain" statement indicates that a product may have been exposed to an allergen through shared equipment or production environment, even though the allergen is not an ingredient. For diagnosed food allergies and for coeliac disease, these statements should be treated as genuine warnings. They are not boilerplate — they reflect a real cross-contamination possibility.

How should I tell a caterer about a severe allergy before ordering?

State the allergy in writing at the time of ordering — name the specific allergen, confirm it is a diagnosed allergy rather than a preference, and note whether the person carries an adrenaline auto-injector. Request the full allergen matrix before placing the order. Do not rely on verbal confirmation at the point of delivery.

What is the difference between a nut allergy and a tree nut allergy?

"Nut allergy" is often used loosely to cover either peanut allergy, tree nut allergy, or both. Peanuts are legumes; tree nuts are a separate botanical group including almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, and others. Some people are allergic to one group but not the other; some are allergic to both. When briefing a caterer, specify exactly which nuts are implicated — do not rely on "nut-free" covering both unless the caterer confirms they exclude both peanuts and all tree nuts.