Allergen errors can be fatal. SafeServe Kitchen gives you a complete digital allergen register covering all 14 major allergens across every dish on your menu. When your menu changes, your register updates. Your team always sees the current information, and you always have the written record that UK law requires.
Natasha's Law came into force in October 2021 following the tragic death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died after an allergic reaction to a baguette that contained sesame in the dough. It requires food businesses to fully label all food prepared and packed on the same premises as it is sold (PPDS food).
Beyond Natasha's Law, the broader Food Information Regulations require you to provide accurate allergen information for all food you serve. Whether that information is given in writing, on a menu, or verbally, you must have accurate records behind it.
EHOs check allergen management closely. They will look for a written allergen register, evidence that staff are trained, and controls for cross-contact. SafeServe Kitchen covers all of this.
You must provide accurate information about the 14 major allergens in all food you prepare and sell. A digital allergen register is the most reliable way to ensure that information is always current and accessible to your team and your customers.
Gluten includes wheat, rye, barley and oats. Tree nuts include almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios and macadamia nuts.
Most allergen registers are spreadsheets that go out of date the moment you change your menu. SafeServe Kitchen ties your allergen information directly to your menu, so when a dish changes, the register changes with it.
Record allergen status for every dish on your menu. Mark each of the 14 allergens as present, absent, or "may contain" due to cross-contact risk. Your register is always complete and always current.
Add a new dish or change an ingredient and SafeServe prompts you to update the allergen register before the dish goes live. Nothing slips through when your menu evolves.
Every team member can access the allergen register from the app. When a customer asks about a dish, your staff have accurate, current information at their fingertips rather than guessing.
Allergen cross-contact is automatically documented as a Critical Control Point in your HACCP plan. The two records work together, so you're not maintaining them separately.
Document your cross-contact prevention procedures: separate prep areas, dedicated utensils, cleaning protocols, and allergen-free preparation steps. All stored and ready for inspection.
Generate a clean, printable allergen summary for your menu board or counter. Always reflects your current menu, so you're never handing customers information that's out of date.
During an inspection, your Environmental Health Officer will specifically assess your allergen management. Here is what they look for and how SafeServe Kitchen ensures you are ready.
EHOs require you to have written allergen information available for all food you serve. SafeServe Kitchen's allergen register covers every dish and is always accessible. If you provide allergen information verbally, you must still have written records to back it up.
EHOs will ask how your staff are trained on allergens. SafeServe Kitchen includes allergen awareness training logs so you can record when each team member completed their training and what it covered.
Beyond having a register, EHOs want to see that you have procedures in place to prevent allergen cross-contact during food preparation. SafeServe Kitchen documents these as part of your HACCP plan, with the specific controls and responsible persons recorded.
An allergen register is only useful if it is accurate. EHOs sometimes test this by checking the information against actual dishes. SafeServe Kitchen links your register to your live menu, so it is always accurate.
EHOs look for evidence that you update your allergen information when your menu changes, not just when you first set up. SafeServe Kitchen logs every allergen register update with a timestamp, giving you a clear audit trail.
Natasha's Law is the informal name for the UK Food Information Amendment, which came into force on 1 October 2021. It requires food businesses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to label every food item that is prepared and packed on the same premises where it is sold (known as PPDS food) with a full ingredients list and the 14 major allergens emphasised. This applies to sandwiches, salads, pastries, and other items prepared in your kitchen and then packaged for sale.
The 14 major allergens are: celery, cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley and oats), crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide and sulphites (at concentrations above 10mg/kg), and tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashew nuts, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachio nuts and macadamia nuts). All 14 must be covered in your allergen register.
Yes. If you provide allergen information verbally, UK law requires you to have written backup information readily available so that customers can verify what they have been told. In practice, a written allergen register is strongly recommended because verbal information is easy to get wrong, hard to prove, and does not give customers the confidence they need. EHOs will also look for written records as evidence of a proper allergen management system.
A food allergy is an immune response to a food protein. Even a small amount can trigger a severe reaction, including anaphylaxis. A food intolerance is a digestive response and is generally not life-threatening. For the purposes of food labelling law, the 14 major allergens are what you are required to declare. However, many businesses also note common intolerances (such as lactose intolerance) on their menus as a matter of good customer service.
Cross-contact (sometimes called cross-contamination in allergen contexts) is when an allergen is unintentionally transferred from one food to another, typically through shared equipment, surfaces, utensils, or hands. Prevention measures include dedicated preparation areas and utensils for allergen-free dishes, thorough cleaning procedures between preparations, clear labelling of storage containers, and staff training. SafeServe Kitchen documents these controls as part of your HACCP plan.
No. Using "may contain" as a blanket disclaimer for all dishes is not acceptable under UK food law and will not satisfy an EHO. "May contain" should only be used where there is a genuine, uncontrollable risk of cross-contact with a specific allergen despite the best precautions. Using it unnecessarily is also harmful to customers with allergies, who may exclude dishes that are actually safe for them. Your allergen register should accurately reflect what is in each dish and what specific cross-contact risks exist.
SafeServe Kitchen provides a digital allergen register covering all 14 major allergens for every dish on your menu. When you add or update a menu item, the register prompts you to update the allergen information. Allergen cross-contact controls are documented as Critical Control Points in your HACCP plan. Staff training records are kept in the same system. And when an EHO visits, you can show them accurate, timestamped records from a single app.
Start your free trial, add your menu, and SafeServe Kitchen builds your allergen register automatically. Always current. Always ready for inspection.
No card required during trial. Cancel anytime.