- What are the 14 statutory allergens?
- Under UK food law (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 retained in UK law and the Food Information Regulations 2014), food businesses must declare by law the presence of 14 major allergens: celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, soya, and sulphur dioxide (sulphites).
CHARTFree Allergen Matrix Template UK
Create a compliant allergen matrix template for your UK takeaway or restaurant. Filter ingredients interactively and export a printable A4 kitchen poster.
The interactive 14-allergen matrix tool allows UK restaurant, pub, and takeaway operators to audit ingredients across every menu item and generate compliant allergen disclosure sheets. Keeping accurate digital and printed allergen matrices satisfies Natasha's Law and the Food Information Regulations 2014, protecting vulnerable diners.
Commercial Kitchen 14 Allergen Chart
Record, filter, and print mandatory food allergen disclosures for UK restaurants, takeaways, and caterers.
| Dish / Recipe & Ingredients | Celery | Cereals | Crustaceans | Eggs | Fish | Lupin | Milk | Molluscs | Mustard | Tree | Peanuts | Sesame | Soya | Sulphites | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Burgers | |||||||||||||||
Pizzas | |||||||||||||||
Chicken | |||||||||||||||
Sides | |||||||||||||||
Starters | |||||||||||||||
Sides |
+ Add New Recipe / Dish to Allergen Matrix
Saim Dev builds bespoke Next.js takeaway websites featuring instant interactive allergen filters, allowing customers to filter out gluten, dairy, nuts, or any of the 14 allergens with 1 click before ordering.
This chart helps you record allergen information. You are responsible for checking every recipe and supplier specification. It is not legal advice and has not been approved by the Food Standards Agency.
How to Implement the Allergy Matrix in Your Commercial Kitchen
Practical due diligence procedures, regulatory compliance steps, and EHO audit verification guidelines for UK hospitality businesses.
UK Statutory Due Diligence Framework
Under Section 21 of the Food Safety Act 1990, a food business operator has a defense of due diligence if they prove that all reasonable precautions were taken and all due diligence was exercised to prevent food safety offenses.
Documented logs like the Allergy Matrix provide contemporaneous proof of monitoring required by Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 (retained UK law). Local council Environmental Health Officers (EHO) evaluate these records when scoring the "Confidence in Management" category of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS).
Official FSA Record-Keeping Guidance & Due Diligence
Under UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB) standards and Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, food business operators are required to maintain contemporaneous, accurate operational records.
- Contemporaneous logging: Kitchen logs must reflect actual checks performed during opening, active service, and closing rather than retrospective estimates.
- Corrective action logs: Whenever a critical limit is breached, document the specific corrective measure taken (e.g. food discarded, chilled, or reheated) with staff initials.
- Statutory due diligence defense: Retaining completed daily sheets for a minimum of 6 to 12 months supports the statutory defense under Section 21 of the Food Safety Act 1990. Official guidance is available at food.gov.uk.
Step-by-Step Operational Routine
Operational Step 1
List all standard dishes, sauces, side items, and seasonal specials in your kitchen catalog.
Operational Step 2
Review chef recipe cards and verify ingredient specifications against the 14 mandatory UK allergens.
Operational Step 3
Click allergen tags to populate the visual matrix with instant green/red status indicators.
Operational Step 4
Export or print the matrix sheet for mounting at prep lines and front-of-house customer service points.
Operational Step 5
Audit matrix entries whenever kitchen suppliers change sauce formulations, seasonings, or oils.
Procedures align with UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB) catering guidance and the Food Information Regulations 2014. Review official advice at food.gov.uk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about UK kitchen compliance, record keeping, and EHO audits.
All temperatures, microbial lethality pairs, and critical limits on this page have been verified against primary statutory documents issued by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA), Food Standards Scotland (FSS), Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, and US FDA/USDA guidelines.
These templates, checklists, and calculators are food-safety management tools designed to assist UK food business operators (FBOs) in maintaining organised kitchen records and internal procedures. They do not constitute legal advice and using them does not guarantee compliance with UK food law or a five-star food hygiene rating.
How to Create a Compliant 14-Allergen Matrix for UK Restaurants
Read our in-depth guidance on UK Food Standards Agency inspection procedures, staff training, and compliance routines.
