The 14 Allergens: A Complete Overview for Restaurants

The LMIV obliges restaurants, cafés and food stalls to declare the 14 main allergens – for non-prepacked food (dishes served openly) at least on request or via a notice, in writing or digitally. It always concerns the 14 substance groups named in the regulation, regardless of the form they take in a dish. Once you know the full list, you can apply it systematically to every dish.

• Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut) and products made from them.
• Crustaceans (e.g. shrimp, crab, lobster) and eggs, plus products made from each.
• Fish, peanuts and soybeans, plus products made from each.
• Milk (including lactose) and tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia).
• Celery, mustard, sesame and lupin, plus products made from each.
• Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (above a certain concentration) and molluscs (e.g. mussels, squid, snails).

That makes 14 substance groups: cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soy, milk/lactose, tree nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, lupin and molluscs. This list is uniform across the EU, while the specific form of labelling is governed by national rules. When in doubt, verify the details that apply to your business with the competent authority.

The biggest source of error is not the obvious ingredient but the hidden one. Allergens often enter a dish via sauces, stocks, breadings, dressings, convenience products or garnishes. A systematic look at every component on a plate helps you miss nothing.

Typical hiding places in the restaurant kitchen

• Cereals containing gluten appear in breadings, roux, soy sauce, beer and many thickeners, not just in bread and pasta.
• Celery is a classic in stocks, broths, seasoning blends and vegetable mixes, and is often barely visible.
• Mustard and sesame hide in dressings, marinades, curry blends, burger buns and hummus.
• Milk and eggs turn up in creamy sauces, breadings, desserts and even in some bun glazes.
• Soy appears in emulsifiers, margarines, meat substitutes and Asian sauces; tree nuts hide in pesto, pastries and pralines.
• Sulphur dioxide and sulphites are often used as a preservative in dried fruit, wine and some potato products.

Cross-contamination matters too: if a fryer is used for both breaded and unbreaded food, gluten can transfer. Such notes belong in staff training so that answers given at the table are reliable. Document the composition of each dish cleanly once, and it can always be reproduced correctly.

The LMIV distinguishes between the allergen itself and products made from it. Both the ingredient and its derivatives must be declared when they are present in the final product – with a few exceptions named in the regulation. Here is how to classify each dish in a structured way.

1. 1List all components of each dish: main ingredients, sauces, sides, garnishes and any convenience products used.
2. 2Check the supplier ingredient list for each component and note the allergens and derivatives it contains.
3. 3Assign each hit to one of the 14 substance groups – for example soy lecithin to soy or wheat starch to cereals containing gluten.
4. 4Observe the exceptions named in the LMIV where certain derivatives need not be declared, and verify them when in doubt.
5. 5Store the result centrally per dish so that every statement – spoken or on the menu – is based on the same status.

The distinction matters in practice because an allergen often appears not as a whole ingredient but as part of a processed product. Soy lecithin as an emulsifier, wheat in soy sauce or milk powder in a seasoning blend are typical examples. When in doubt, it is better to check carefully and label cleanly than to overlook something.

Allergen labelling only helps if guests can understand it. A legend or footnote system has proven effective: each allergen is assigned a code or number, and the relevant codes appear behind each dish. It is important that the legend is easy to find and used consistently across the entire menu.

• Use clear codes or numbers (e.g. A for cereals containing gluten) and explain them in a clearly visible legend.
• Place the codes directly behind the dish name or description so the reference is clear.
• Keep the spelling and assignment identical across all pages and language versions of the menu.
• Where appropriate, point out possible cross-contamination and that service staff can provide information.
• Update the labelling immediately whenever a recipe, supplier or ingredient changes.

On printed menus, upkeep is laborious: every recipe change means a reprint. A digital menu lets you store allergens in a structured way per dish and make changes visible instantly. This keeps the presentation clear without overloading the menu.

The central challenge is not labelling once, but keeping the information consistent and up to date. This is exactly where a digital menu helps: allergens are stored in a structured way per dish, rather than as loose text somewhere on the menu.

Allergens stored structured per dish

In gastronomx you record the relevant allergens directly with each dish. As a result they appear automatically and consistently on the menu instead of being typed manually into a footnote. If a recipe changes, you adjust the entry in one place, and the presentation is instantly up to date everywhere.

Because the menu can be output in multiple languages, the allergen details remain consistent across all language versions. You keep a central overview of which dishes contain which allergens – without spreadsheets and reprints. The legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information remains with you as the business; gastronomx is the tool for a clean, up-to-date presentation.