PPDS allergen labelling for drinks. Are you sure you know the law?

It’s been 21 days now since PPDS was introduced as law and we hope you’ve found new and efficient ways to incorporate the new labelling changes into your business’ everyday processes.

This week, Natasha’s Allergy Research Foundation – the team who fought for the new law to pass through parliament – spoke to “Let’s Talk Food Allergies” about the often, undisclosed allergens contained in alcoholic beverages.

Bottled drinks are easier to navigate, but with drinks made on the spot such as cocktails, it is much harder for those living with allergens to be sure of just what ingredients have gone into their drink.

Whilst an alcohol allergy is very rare,  the ingredients that have been added to alcohol can trigger an allergic reaction.

The drinks listed below are just a few examples of allergens which are present in some well known drinks:

Tree nuts – Southern Comfort
Almonds – Amaretto
Hazelnuts – Creme d’amande (liqueur),
Walnuts – Creme de noix (liqueur)
Macademia nuts – Kahana Royale (liqueur).
Pistachios – Dumante (liqueur)
Cashews – Kazkar Feni (apple liqueur)
Peanuts – Harp Lager
Eggs – can be used to create fizz or body in a cocktail such as Gin Fizz
Egg albumin – Advocat (Dutch Liqueur)
Milk – can be used as an ingredient in White and Pink Russians

What information do I need to provide? 

If you are selling a bottle of alcohol, the label contained needs to show the name of the food and the ingredients list with the 14 allergens required to be declared by law emphasised within it.

These need to be in line with the legal requirements that apply to naming the food and listing ingredients.

If, however, a drink is made to order behind the bar, a member of staff should be on hand to communicate any allergens contained within, or be able to provide a detailed list of the allergens contained in each drink via a printed / electronic allergy list.

I need more information

If you have any questions regarding PPDS for food or drink, please visit our Allergen Hub or give us a call on 0300 124 6866 and a member of our knowledgeable account management team will be able to help.