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Common allergens poster for commercial kitchens.
The priority food allergens staff need to know, and the symptoms of a reaction, from mild to life-threatening. One clear page for the prep area, the line, and storage. Print it and post it where the team can see it.
How to use the poster
Anything can be an allergen, including dust, medication, plants, animals, and food. In a kitchen, a set of common food allergens needs to be known and disclosed. Symptoms differ between people and can range from mild to severe. In rare cases a reaction can be life-threatening, known as anaphylaxis. The poster keeps the list and the warning signs in front of the team.
Common food allergens
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts, such as cashew and walnut
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Milk
- Eggs
- Wheat
- Soy
- Sesame
- Sulphites
- Mustard
Mild symptoms
- Sneezing
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Swelling
- Rash
- Stomach cramps
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
Severe symptoms
- Difficulty breathing
- Swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat
- Hives, an itchy raised rash
- Dizziness or faintness
- In rare cases, a life-threatening reaction, anaphylaxis
Download the common allergens poster
Free, one page, letter size. The allergen list with mild and severe symptoms, ready to post in prep, line, and storage areas.
Every kitchen is different. This poster is a general guide, not a one-size-fits-all rule. The allergens in your dishes and the way you label and disclose them depend on your menu and your local health unit. Review it and adapt it to your facility before you rely on it. Probe It Food Safety provides this resource for general guidance only.
Certified Public Health Inspector
An allergen question is never a small one. The same dish that gives one guest a runny nose can close another guest's throat. When a customer asks what is in a dish, the answer is never a guess. If staff are not sure, they check, and if they cannot be sure, they say so. A poster on the wall keeps the list familiar, so nobody is trying to remember it under pressure.
Samira Ali · Certified Public Health Inspector · Probe It Food SafetyCommon questions
What are the common food allergens?
The common food allergens on this poster are peanuts, tree nuts such as cashew and walnut, fish, shellfish, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, sesame, sulphites, and mustard. These are the ones a kitchen needs to know and be ready to disclose.
What are the mild symptoms of an allergic reaction?
Symptoms differ between people. Mild symptoms can include sneezing, a stuffy or runny nose, itchy or watery eyes, swelling, a rash, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and nausea or vomiting.
What are the severe symptoms of an allergic reaction?
Severe symptoms of a food allergic reaction include difficulty breathing, swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat, hives, which are an itchy raised rash, and dizziness or faintness.
Can a food allergy be life-threatening?
Yes. In rare cases, an allergic reaction to food can be life-threatening. This is known as anaphylaxis. It is why allergen questions are taken seriously every time, and why the allergens in a dish are disclosed rather than guessed.