Keeping menu allergen information up to date

Know what triggers a review

• A new dish or a changed recipe.
• A different supplier or brand of an ingredient.
• A label change on an ingredient you already use.
• A regular review date, even if nothing seems to have changed.

Keep the evidence

Record where each ingredient’s allergen information came from — the product label or specification — so a reviewer can check it. Keep “contains”, “may contain” and “not known” separate. A missing word on a label doesn’t prove an allergen is absent.

Review before staff rely on it

A responsible person should check each item and mark the date. In Hygivo, an item only shows as reviewed after that check, and changing an ingredient marks it as needing review again.

“Gluten-free” is a claim, not just a missing word

A gluten-free claim, the presence of oats or wheat, and the allergen declaration are different facts. See the FSAI’s guidance on gluten-free declarations.

Customers

A staff list helps your team answer questions, but your business must also meet its obligations for giving allergen information to customers. See the FSAI allergen guidance. This guide is general information, not advice for your business.