ALLERGENS
Allergen ADVICE As of October 2021, all pre-packaged foods sold in foodservice outlets (that packed the food) will need to be labelled so that any allergens are clearly highlighted; the changing nature of the food business in recent times prompting businesses to act now. ASSURED ADVICE FROM PAPA A set of guidelines for labelling food to go products under the new Food Information regulations has been published by the Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association (www.papa.org.uk correct as of 13 May 2020). These guidelines, which have Assured Advice status, have been designed to help member businesses comply with the regulations which in turn help operators to be able to provide more information to their consumers. The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association agreed to take on a Statutory Primary Authority Role to represent its members and encourage consistent standards across the industry by providing Assured Advice on environmental health and trading standards issues. Essentially, the Assured Advice Scheme means that issues directly affecting sandwich and food to go businesses can be dealt with consistently across the UK so that everyone is treated the same. By following the guidance PAPA produces under the scheme, all local enforcement officers (including environmental health and trading standards) must accept the procedures set out in that guidance. On issues that affect the food to go industry as a whole, the Association will work with government agencies and its Primary Authority (Slough Borough Council) to produce and agree guidance for the industry which, once approved, becomes Assured Advice. 36
Under the Assured Advice scheme, this guidance must be respected by enforcement officers across the country and all members following that guidance are protected from being challenged on it. Furthermore, if members have any problems in relation to the advice, they can refer them to the Association who will take them up on their behalf. The Labelling Guidelines that have been drawn up by the Association set out how current food labelling legislation should be applied by UK food to go businesses, and the scheme has the full backing of the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). This guidance applies to the Food Information (Amendment)(England) Regulations 2019, and these guidelines apply to England only at this time (it is expected that the legislation will be replicated for the devolved nations in due course). After 1 October 2021, all pre-packaged foods sold in foodservice outlets (that packed the food) will be required by law to be labelled with the name of the product and an ingredients list, with any
allergens highlighted. This new legislation brings the foodservice sector closer in line with the requirements for packaged foods sold through retail outlets. There are currently 14 allergens that are required by law to be listed, and these are ingredients which have been identified as causing illness, allergic reactions and in some cases severe illness and occasionally death. • celery • cereals containing gluten – including wheat, rye, barley and oats • crustaceans – such as prawns, crabs and lobsters • eggs • fish • lupin • milk • molluscs – such as mussels and oysters • mustard • tree nuts – including almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts • peanuts July 2020
