Allergen matrix review
A check that your 14-allergen matrix still matches exactly what you serve — every dish, drink and bought-in item against all 14 allergens.
A check that your 14-allergen matrix still matches exactly what you serve — every dish, drink and bought-in item against all 14 allergens. This has two separate triggers: do a full review at least once a year regardless of what has changed, and also update the matrix immediately, the same day, whenever you add, drop or reformulate a dish, swap a supplier, or change an ingredient. The annual review is the backstop that catches anything a busy kitchen forgot to update in the moment — it does not replace updating on the spot.
Providing inaccurate allergen information is a criminal offence and has caused fatalities in UK food outlets, which is why this law exists. A matrix that was accurate when you opened but never touched since is actively dangerous once the menu has moved on — staff will keep quoting it as if it is current.
Walk every current dish and drink against all 14 allergens, including bought-in and modified items.
Who this is for
Every venue serving food made on-site, including anywhere a menu, recipe or supplier changes over time.
What you’ll hold
- Updated, dated allergen matrix
- Staff sign-off that they have read the current version
Watch out for
- Treating the annual review as the only update point — a dish changed in month four and left unrecorded until the year-end review means eight months of a matrix that is simply wrong.
- Updating the matrix but not re-briefing staff, so front of house keeps quoting the old version from memory.
- Missing bought-in or modified items during the review — a new supplier's cake or a swapped syrup carries allergens that need adding just like a house-made dish.
Sources
- FSA — Allergen guidance for food businesses checked 2026-09-02
See also
- Build your 14-allergen matrix— this becomes part of getting open →
This is item 2 of 60 in the free UK Compliance Calendar. See the whole list →