On December 13th a new law will ensure that all food outlets have to clearly state ingredients and specifically 14 common allergens that may be contained in food. Previously this only applied to packaged foods, but the new legislation includes all foods available for sale including school dinners. The fourteen allergens include, Cow’s milk, Egg, Gluten in cereals, Soy, Fish, Shellfish (molluscs and Crustaceans), Peanuts, Tree nuts, Celery, Sesame seed, Mustard seed, Lupin flour and Sulphur Dioxide preservatives.
The legislation falls short but not putting a ban on the largely confusing statement “May Contain Traces of….” or “Prepared in a factory where traces of nut may occur” which is disappointing..
