Top chefs attack EU rules on allergens in food

More than 100 top chefs have attacked EU rules that force restaurants to specify dishes which contain specific allergens, warning that "significant damage” being inflicted on catering industry.

Chefs and restauranteurs including Prue Leith, the Great British Menu judge, Albert Roux, Mark Hix and Thomasina Miers, the founder of Wahaca, have written to The Daily Telegraph warning that the rules, unveiled in Brussels last year, are hurting “spontaneity, creativity and innovation”.

The EU allergens regulations came into force in December and require caterers and restaurant owners to conduct a comprehensive audit of every ingredient present within their dishes, which must then be displayed on menus and packaging.

They must display information on 14 allergens including rare allergies such as mustard seeds and Lupin, or face fines of up to £5,000 for any infraction of the rules.

Other allergens covered by the regulations include celery, sesame seeds and eggs.

and so they should....

how does it affect "creativity"?

all tey are doing is informing eople who may be affected by these things that they are indeed present....

I'm not allergic to any food item (though chillie "clears me out" )
so it woulnt stop me ordering things...

they are NOT saying that you cant use them......

No mention of the other additives as yet but we can keep hoping.

A lot of restaurants are not buzzing like they once did, and yes, maybe the economy has its hand, but for some of us even if we could pay for a meal out once in a while, we have no urge to because we just do not know what they are adding to food and how we could react to it later. With things such as stomach cramps, constipation and vomiting. The Witherspoon left me ill for some days on my last attempt on eating out. So not tempted at all here.

darknessss wrote:and so they should....

how does it affect "creativity"?

all they are doing is informing people who may be affected by these things that they are indeed present....

I'm not allergic to any food item (though chillies "clears me out" )
so it wouldn't stop me ordering things...

they are NOT saying that you cant use them......

Love the spicy foods here but the condiments/side orders have changed in the Indian restaurants, the yoghurt or the mango chutney are nothing like they once were. The said same can be food standards almost everywhere, the restaurants have stooped because the food sold in shops is pretty bad all round. We don't have even an orange that tastes as they used to, very rarely do you come across a sweet orange, generally they are sour/ bitter or just off.

People have died because of cheaper substitutions that have not been put on the menu, ie, ground peanuts for ground almonds etc. Of course they should have to list them. They don't have to say the quantities and give away their recipes!

so they are complaining about keeping standards ?
this is already required here for a number of allergens