How are allergens labelled in Irish restaurants and cafes?
By law, and in writing. Under the rules the Food Safety Authority of Ireland enforces, every food business must declare which of the 14 regulated allergens are present in a dish, including food served loose in restaurants, cafes and pubs, and the information must be available without you having to ask. In practice you will see it as numbers or letters against each menu item, with a key at the foot of the menu, or as a separate allergen folder at the counter. Packaged food highlights allergens in the ingredients list. The written sheet does not replace telling your server: state the allergy plainly when you order, so the kitchen hears it twice.
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Sources
- Food Safety Authority of Ireland: the 14 allergens and allergen information for loose and prepacked food, fsai.ie
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