The 14 allergens, and where they hide

UK food law names 14 allergens. If you sell food, you must be able to tell a customer which of them are in anything you serve. Here is the list, with the places each one turns up when you are not expecting it.

#	Allergen	Includes	Often hides in
1	Celery	Stalks, leaves, seeds and celeriac	Stock cubes, bouillon, soups, celery salt, some spice mixes
2	Cereals containing gluten	Wheat, rye, barley, oats	Batter, breadcrumbs, flour-thickened sauces, soy sauce, beer, couscous
3	Crustaceans	Prawns, crab, lobster, langoustine	Shrimp paste, some Thai curry pastes, fish stock
4	Eggs	Whole egg, yolk, white	Mayonnaise, fresh pasta, glazes on pastry, meringue, some batters
5	Fish	All fish species	Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, Caesar dressing, anchovies on pizza
6	Lupin	Lupin flour and seeds	Some breads, pastries, gluten-free products and pasta
7	Milk	Milk, butter, cheese, cream, yoghurt	Whey and milk powder in crisps, breads, processed meats, ghee
8	Molluscs	Mussels, oysters, squid, scallops, snails	Oyster sauce, fish stews, some stocks
9	Mustard	Seeds, powder, prepared mustard	Dressings, marinades, curry powder, some sausages, cheese sauces
10	Peanuts	Peanuts, peanut butter, groundnut oil	Satay, some curries, sweets, cakes and biscuits
11	Sesame	Seeds, oil, paste	Tahini, hummus, burger buns, breadsticks, some stir fry sauces
12	Soybeans	Soya, tofu, edamame, soy sauce	Soya flour and lecithin in breads, chocolate, many vegetarian products
13	Sulphur dioxide and sulphites	Preservatives at more than 10mg per kg or litre	Wine, cider, dried fruit, some sausages and burgers, pickles, vinegar
14	Tree nuts	Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamias	Pesto, marzipan, praline, nut oils, some curries and desserts

The "often hides in" column is a prompt, not a complete list. Always read the label on the product you actually buy.

What you have to do with this list

For food that is not prepacked, such as plated meals, takeaway dishes and anything sold loose, you must be able to give accurate allergen information for every item. The simplest way to do that reliably is a written allergen matrix that your whole team works from.

Food that is prepacked for direct sale, such as a sandwich you wrap in the morning and sell from the fridge, needs a label with the full ingredients list and allergens emphasised. That rule is often called Natasha's Law and has applied since October 2021.

Build your matrix now. It is free.

Tap the allergens for each dish and print a clean matrix in about 15 minutes. No account and no card.

Open the free builder

This page is general guidance, not legal advice. For the official position see the Food Standards Agency's guidance at food.gov.uk, or speak to your local authority's environmental health team.