EU Reg. 1169/2011
Is your menu allergen-compliant?
Since 2014, the EU Food Information Regulation has required you to tell guests which allergens each dish contains. Menu-Check reviews your menu with AI and clearly shows what is missing and what to fix.
Menu-Check
Your menu, checked in three steps
Menu-Check takes the tedious detail work off your hands: the AI reads your menu, matches it against the 14 main allergens and produces an easy-to-read audit report.
Upload your menu
PDF or DOCX, up to 25 MB. Your menu is used for the check only and deleted automatically afterwards.
AI checks against the EU rules
Dish by dish: missing, implausible or unclear allergen declarations are identified and prioritised.
Receive your report
A clear online report with concrete suggestions for changes – usually ready in about 5 minutes, including a PDF to file or share.
The legal basis
Allergen labelling is a legal duty – not a nice-to-have
Restaurant, café, food truck or delivery service: anyone serving unpackaged food must declare the 14 main allergens – documented in writing and available to guests at all times. Violations can lead to fines and cost you your guests’ trust.
main allergens that must be declared on your menu
Labelling has been mandatory across the EU since 13 December 2014
EU Regulation No 1169/2011 (Food Information Regulation) sets the rules
Applies to everyone serving unpackaged food
The duty is not limited to restaurants – it covers every handover of unpackaged food:
Verbal answers need a written basis
Your team may explain allergens verbally – but only if written documentation backs it up and every team member is trained.
The essentials
These 14 allergens belong on your menu
The regulation lists 14 groups of substances considered the main triggers of food allergies and intolerances. Each of them must be identifiable per dish – even if it only hides in sauces, dressings or marinades.
- 1 Cereals containing gluten wheat, rye, barley, spelt
- 2 Crustaceans e.g. shrimps, crabs
- 3 Eggs
- 4 Fish except fish gelatine
- 5 Peanuts
- 6 Soybeans
- 7 Milk including lactose
- 8 Tree nuts almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and more
- 9 Celery
- 10 Mustard
- 11 Sesame seeds
- 12 Sulphur dioxide & sulphites
- 13 Lupin
- 14 Molluscs mussels, snails, squid
Important: allergens remain subject to labelling even after cooking or processing. Only when the allergen is obvious from the dish name itself – such as “celery salad” – may the declaration be omitted.
Getting it right
Three proven ways to declare allergens
How you label is up to you – as long as it is legible, unambiguous and clearly separated from additives. These three methods have proven themselves:
Footnotes & legend
Small letters or numbers after each dish point to a legend at the bottom of the page – space-saving and familiar.
Allergen column
A dedicated column next to each dish lists the allergens it contains – maximum transparency at a glance.
Separate allergen chart
A separate chart or matrix, handed out on request or on display – ideal if you want to keep the main menu lean. Add a clear note on the menu pointing to it.
Your practical checklist
- Check every ingredient – including sauces, dressings, marinades and stocks
- Read supplier specifications: allergens are usually printed in bold or italics
- When in doubt, ask your supplier instead of guessing
- Keep one central allergen list and update it with every recipe change
- Train your team so every answer is confident and correct
Ready for the check?
Upload your menu, pay $15.00 once, receive your report – no subscription, no hidden costs.
Note: The report is AI-assisted guidance and does not replace a legally binding review.
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