Blog & guides
Food labelling, explained plainly
Practical articles on EU food information law, nutrition calculation, allergens and labels — for anyone who makes, packs or serves food. Every legal statement is quoted from the consolidated text of the Regulation on EUR-Lex.
-
Basics · Labelling
Food labelling — what has to be on the label?
All mandatory particulars under EU food law — ingredients, the 14 allergens, nutrition values, additives, font size, food sold loose and voluntary statements.
-
Guide · Labelling
The list of ingredients — the rules, with a worked example
How to build a list of ingredients: descending order of weight, water, allergens, compound ingredients, additives and QUID percentages, with a worked example.
-
Basics · Allergens
Allergen labelling — the duty and the 14 allergens
Allergen labelling under EU food law: the 14 allergens, the emphasis in the list of ingredients (Article 21), food sold loose, and “may contain traces”.
-
Guide · Food service
Allergens on the menu — the letter code and a worked example
Marking allergens on a menu: the 14 allergens as a letter code (a to n), an example with a key, and the permitted routes under § 4 LMIDV.
-
Reference · Labelling
Food additives and E numbers — how to declare them
Declaring additives and E numbers: category name plus specific name or E number, the 24 categories of Annex VII Part C, and the rules for food sold loose.
-
Guide · Labelling
Product specifications for food — content, duty and structure
Product specifications for food: what goes in, whether they are mandatory (Article 8(8), IFS Food) and how to produce one without spreadsheet chaos.
-
Basics · FIC Regulation
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 explained — the FIC Regulation
The FIC Regulation explained: the 12 mandatory particulars of Article 9, the 14 allergens, the nutrition declaration and the minimum font size.
-
Guide · Labelling
How to create a food label — the mandatory particulars, step by step
Which particulars belong on a food label under EU rules? Mandatory particulars, nutrition table, allergens and font size, step by step.
-
Guide · Labelling
Date of minimum durability — wording, format and exceptions
The date of minimum durability under EU food law: the right wording, the format by shelf life, the nine exceptions and the difference from the use by date.
-
Basics · Allergens
The 14 allergens that must be declared (Annex II)
All 14 allergens that must be declared under Annex II of EU food law — with examples, how to emphasise them and the rules for food sold loose.
-
Guide · Allergens
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites — allergen no. 12
Sulphites and sulphur dioxide: where they occur in wine and dried fruit, possible symptoms, and the 10 mg/kg threshold for declaring allergen no. 12.
-
Guide · Allergens
Tree nuts — the eight nuts of allergen no. 8
Tree nuts are allergen no. 8 under EU food law: the eight named nuts, why the peanut is not one of them, and why coconut is treated differently in the USA.
-
Guide · Allergens
Cereals containing gluten — and which cereals are gluten-free
Which cereals contain gluten (allergen no. 1 under EU food law) and which are gluten-free? The list, the exceptions and the 20 mg/kg threshold.
-
Guide · Allergens
Soybeans — allergen no. 6 under the FIC Regulation
Soybeans are allergen no. 6 under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011: where soya sits, hidden as lecithin E322, and the exception for fully refined soybean oil.
-
Guide · Allergens
Eggs — allergen no. 3 under the FIC Regulation
Eggs are allergen no. 3 under EU food law, with no exceptions. Where egg hides — including lysozyme E1105 in cheese and wine — and how to label it.
-
Guide · Allergens
Fish — allergen no. 4 under the FIC Regulation
Fish is allergen no. 4 under EU food law: where it hides, the exceptions for fish gelatine and isinglass, and how it differs from crustaceans and molluscs.
-
Guide · Allergens
Crustaceans — allergen no. 2 under the FIC Regulation
Crustaceans are allergen no. 2 under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011: prawns, crabs, lobster, hidden occurrences, and how they differ from fish and molluscs.
-
Guide · Allergens
Molluscs — allergen no. 14 under the FIC Regulation
Molluscs are allergen no. 14 under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011: mussels, oysters, squid, hidden occurrences, and how they differ from fish.
-
Guide · Allergens
Milk — allergen no. 7 under the FIC Regulation
Milk is allergen no. 7 under EU food law, lactose included: hidden as casein and whey powder — and why “lactose-free” is not “milk-free”.
-
Guide · Allergens
Peanuts — allergen no. 5 under the FIC Regulation
Peanuts are allergen no. 5 under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 — a legume, not a tree nut. Even refined peanut oil has to be declared.
-
Guide · Allergens
Celery — allergen no. 9 under the FIC Regulation
Celery is allergen no. 9 under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and is often overlooked: hidden in stock, soup seasoning, spice blends and sausage.
-
Guide · Allergens
Mustard — allergen no. 10 under the FIC Regulation
Mustard is allergen no. 10 under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011: hidden in mayonnaise, dressings, sausage, curry powder and marinades — and how to label it.
-
Guide · Allergens
Sesame — allergen no. 11 under the FIC Regulation
Sesame is allergen no. 11 under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011: on buns, in tahini, sesame oil, halva and Asian dishes — and how to label it.
-
Guide · Allergens
Lupin — allergen no. 13 under the FIC Regulation
Lupin is allergen no. 13 under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011: hidden as lupin flour in bakery and vegan products, plus the cross-reactivity with peanut.
-
Guide · Bakery
Nutrition calculation for bakeries — duty, exemption and baking loss
Do bakeries have to declare nutrition values? Loose versus prepacked goods, the Annex V craft exemption, and why the baking loss belongs in the calculation.
-
Guide · Food service
Allergen labelling in restaurants — the rules for food sold loose
Labelling in a restaurant, café or canteen: allergens under Article 44 and § 4 LMIDV, additives under § 5 LMZDV, and the footnote system on the menu.
-
Guide · Food service
How to write a menu — mandatory particulars, allergens and prices
Writing a menu: which particulars are mandatory — allergens under § 4 LMIDV, additives under § 5 LMZDV, prices under the PAngV.
-
Guide · Bakery
Allergen labelling in a bakery — counter and shelf
How bakeries declare the 14 allergens: loose goods under § 4 LMIDV, prepacked bread under EU food law, additives under § 5 LMZDV.
-
Guide · Labelling
Nutri-Score explained — how it is calculated, and its limits
How does the Nutri-Score work? The A to E scale, the points system, its legal status in Germany, the 2024 update and its limits.
-
Guide · Data
The German Federal Food Key (BLS) explained
What is the Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel? Structure, publisher (Max Rubner-Institut) and the free version 4.0 as a data basis for nutrition calculation.