These ingredients sneak allergens into your food when you least expect it. Here’s where you need to look:
- Gluten/wheat: Soy sauce (many brands), malt vinegar, beer batter, gravies, fried foods from shared oil, spice blends with wheat starch.
- Egg: Aioli, mayonnaise, dressings, battered items, some cocktails (fizz/flip), glazed pastries.
- Milk/dairy: Butter-basted steaks, mashed potatoes, creams, ghee/clarified butter traces, whey in processed meats.
- Peanuts/tree nuts: Pesto (pine nut), praline, marzipan, mole, satay sauces, nut oils, desserts, salad toppings.
- Sesame: Buns, bread toppings, tahini, hummus, spice blends, sushi rolls, frying oil from falafel/seeded items (sticky residue).
- Fish: Caesar dressing (anchovy), Worcestershire sauce (anchovy), fish sauce, kimchi (sometimes).
- Shellfish/molluscs: Stocks, glazes, XO sauce, frying oil after shrimp.
- Soy: Tofu, soy sauce, miso, edamame, vegetable oil blends, lecithin in chocolate/candies (ask the guest what they avoid).
- Mustard (EU): Dressings, BBQ sauces, spice rubs.
- Celery (EU): Stocks, soups, spice mixes, celery salt.
- Sulphites (EU): Dried fruit, wines, vinegars, potato products, pickles.
- Lupin (EU): Gluten-free flours/pasta in Europe, pastries.
Rule of thumb: If you didn’t prep it yourself, verify it. Check the label or the spec sheet.
Never guess - It’s better to say that you don’t know.
Read next: Allergen Control Across the Flow of Food