RESTAURANTS, cafes and takeaways across North Ayrshire are now required by law to tell customers if their food contains ingredients known to trigger allergies.

More than 700 food business in the local area received a letter from North Ayrshire Council’s Environmental Health Team advising them of new rules in relation to food allergy information.

The law now requires them to provide correct allergen information about the ingredients that are found in the food they make or serve to their customers.

The EU law which kicked-in earlier this month (December 13) lists 14 allergens that need to be identified if they are used as ingredients.

These are, celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, nuts, peanuts, soya, sesame seeds and sulphur dioxide.

On average 10 people die a year and around 5,000 are hospitalised from allergies in the UK.

Cabinet Member for Economy and Employment, Councillor Marie Burns, said: “The onus is now on food business to tell their customers exactly what allergens are present in the food they serve. Our Environmental Heath Officers have been proactive in advising local catering business about the new rules and have provided resources to aid compliance.” Information about food allergens can be communicated to customers in writing on menus, verbally through explanations by staff or signposted to where more information can be found.

Any businesses needing further guidance should contact the council’s Environmental Health Section at environmentalhealth@north-ayrshire.gov.uk