What are the 14 allergens that must be declared?

Updated on 20/10/2026

The 14 groups of foods or substances that cause allergies or intolerances and must be declared under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 whenever food is provided.

The 14 allergens are the groups of foods or substances that cause allergies or intolerances and whose presence must be declared whenever food is provided, under Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. The obligation also covers non-prepacked food, such as catering.

The list in Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex II

In the wording of the current text, as amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 78/2014:

Cereals containing gluten, namely: wheat (such as spelt and khorasan wheat), rye, barley, oats or their hybridised strains, and products thereof.
Crustaceans and products thereof.
Eggs and products thereof.
Fish and products thereof.
Peanuts and products thereof.
Soybeans and products thereof.
Milk and products thereof (including lactose).
Nuts, namely: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachio nuts, macadamia or Queensland nuts, and products thereof.
Celery and products thereof.
Mustard and products thereof.
Sesame seeds and products thereof.
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites at concentrations of more than 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre in terms of the total SO₂.
Lupin and products thereof.
Molluscs and products thereof.

The annex also sets out a few specific exemptions (for example, certain wheat-based glucose syrups or whey used to make distillates), but they do not change the 14 groups.

Why they matter at a company event

In any group of colleagues there is often someone with an allergy or an intolerance. At a drinks reception or a buffet, food is shared and served in very small bites, where an ingredient is not always visible. In Spain, Royal Decree 126/2015 sets out how this information must be given for non-prepacked food.

What to do when you book catering

Ask attendees about allergies, intolerances and diets before you finalise the menu.
Mention them in your first enquiry, so the proposal takes them into account from the start.
Ask for the allergens in each dish in writing, especially for canapés and finger food.

If you have coeliac or vegan guests, see gluten-free catering and vegan catering. Ingredient information depends on food traceability and on the HACCP system.