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Allergen matrix from your menu, in about a minute.

By Kristian

Why this matters

Allergens are the most common thing the EHO will ask about. It is also the thing most operators are weakest on, because the matrix needs to be kept up to date the moment a supplier changes a recipe and that does not happen on a schedule, that happens whenever Sainsbury's reformulates the mayonnaise.

The first time we got pulled up on allergens at Harbourside, it was because the matrix on the wall was eight months out of date. We had switched bread suppliers and not updated it. Not the inspector's favourite morning.

The matrix is a legal requirement under EU Regulation 1169/2011, retained in UK law. You have to be able to tell a customer which of the 14 allergens are in any dish, on demand. The cleanest way to do that is a written matrix.

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How to read your results

The output is a grid: dishes down the side, the 14 allergens across the top, a tick where one is present. A few things to watch for when you read it:

  • "May contain" from your suppliers is different to "contains". Both belong on the matrix, but you need to mark them differently so staff can answer the cross-contamination question honestly.
  • Recipes change. A matrix is only useful if there is a process for updating it when a supplier switches an ingredient. We found a monthly review with the head of kitchen worked better than waiting for a problem.
  • Front of house needs the matrix too. Not just the kitchen. The most common allergen incident is FOH saying "I think it is fine" without actually checking.

FAQs

Do I need to display the allergen matrix to customers?
You do not have to display it publicly, but you have to be able to provide allergen information on request for every dish. A written matrix is the most defensible way to do that. The FSA recommends written information.
What are the 14 UK allergens?
Celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, nuts, peanuts, sesame, soya, and sulphur dioxide / sulphites at concentrations above 10mg/kg or 10mg/L.
How often should the matrix be updated?
Any time a recipe changes, any time a supplier changes ingredients, and at minimum review it monthly. Kept-current is the only useful state for an allergen matrix.