The 14 allergens Maltese restaurants must declare under EU 1169/2011

The 14 named allergens

All fourteen, and where they hide in Maltese cooking

Most Maltese menus declare the obvious allergens. The ones that cause trouble are the quiet ingredients: celery in the minestra base, milk in the ġbejniet crumbled over a salad, sulphites in the wine used to finish a stew, mustard in a rabbit rub. Here is each of the 14, with the Maltese name and the dishes where it most often turns up.

Questions

The 14 allergens in Malta - FAQ

Which 14 allergens must Maltese restaurants declare?

Under EU Regulation 1169/2011 the 14 mandatory allergens are: cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame seeds, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, lupin, and molluscs. Malta applies this regulation in full, so every restaurant must make information on these 14 available for each non-prepacked dish served.

Does allergen information have to be written on the menu itself?

Not necessarily on the printed page. The regulation allows the information to be provided on a clearly signposted written record that the guest is directed to, rather than printed against each dish. The record must exist in writing, be accurate, and be reachable before the guest orders. Purely verbal communication from memory does not satisfy the requirement.

What counts as a non-prepacked food?

Any food served in a restaurant, takeaway or cafeteria that is not packaged at the point of sale in a sealed container with a label. Essentially every plate and drink made to order in a Maltese dining room is non-prepacked, so the allergen obligation applies to it.

How often must a Maltese restaurant update its allergen information?

Whenever a recipe, supplier, ingredient or process changes. Allergen accuracy is a continuous obligation, not a one-off certificate. A kitchen that swaps a stock base, adds a new special, or changes a fryer sharing arrangement must update the record immediately so the information guests read stays correct.

What happens if a restaurant gets an allergen declaration wrong?

Incorrect or missing allergen information is a food safety failure, not a minor label error. In Malta the environmental health directorate enforces the regulation, and consequences range from formal improvement notices to prosecution. More importantly, an undeclared allergen can cause a severe, potentially fatal reaction in a sensitive guest.

Do pre-packed-for-direct-sale items sold alongside a menu count?

Yes. Natasha's Law (applied across EU-aligned food law) requires pre-packed-for-direct-sale items such as a wrapped sandwich or boxed cake made on the premises to carry a full ingredient list with the 14 allergens emphasised on the label itself, not just on a separate written record.

Can a digital QR menu satisfy the allergen requirement?

Yes, and it often does so more reliably than paper. A digital menu keeps the written allergen record against each dish, updates instantly when a recipe changes, and can present the 14 allergens in the guest's own language. The key is that the record is written, accurate and available before ordering, which a QR menu meets.