Council raises awareness of upcoming changes to Food Allergens labelling

Council raises awareness of change in the law with regard to allergen labelling on prepacked for direst sale (PPDS foods)

Fermanagh & Omagh District Council is working with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to help support businesses within the district to help them prepare for changes in the law with regard to allergen labelling on prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) goods.

On 1 October 2021, the law on allergen labelling for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) foods will change. This means that any food business selling PPDS foods will have to include full ingredients on the product label with allergenic ingredients emphasised within that list.

Also known as ‘Natasha’s Law’, the changes come following the death of teenager Natasha Ednan-Laperouse who passed away following an allergic reaction caused by a prepacked baguette which, at the time, did not require allergen labelling.

PPDS foods can include salads and sandwiches that customers select themselves as well as pre-wrapped foods kept behind a counter, in addition to products packaged and sold at mobile or temporary outlets.

Tracy Hardy, Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland Food Hypersensitivity lead, commented: “To help support food businesses, the FSA has launched a PPDS Hub featuring helpful information including new labelling guidance for PPDS foods and sector guides. The guides for bakery, butchers, fast food and takeaways, mobile sellers, restaurants, cafes and pubs, and schools each give practical information on PPDS and how these changes could impact a food business. “FSA will be hosting a food business webinar on 4 August at 2pm and is working in partnership with College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) to host a webinar for Northern Ireland businesses on Thursday 12 August at 10am. The online events will feature a range of speakers including business representatives who will talk more about what they’ve done to prepare for these changes and what they’ve learnt along the way.”

Speaking about the new law, Councillor Errol Thompson, Chair of Fermanagh & Omagh District Council said,

“With less than 3 months to go, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is working with the FSA and are encouraging food businesses currently selling PPDS products to visit the FSA website and register for the food business webinar. It is important that businesses make full use of the information available ahead of the 1 October deadline.

If you cannot attend the webinars, recordings will be made available on the PPDS Hub of the FSA website for you to view afterwards”.

Upcoming webinars:

Food Business Webinar delivered by Food Standards Agency

Wednesday 4th August at 2pm