Allergen Labeling Requirements for UAE Restaurants

## The 14 Major Allergens The UAE follows international standards (Codex Alimentarius) in identifying 14 major allergens that must be disclosed: 1. Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats) 2. Crustaceans (shrimp, crab, lobster) 3. Eggs 4. Fish 5. Peanuts 6. Soybeans 7. Milk and dairy products 8. Tree nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, etc.) 9. Celery 10. Mustard 11. Sesame seeds 12. Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (>10mg/kg) 13. Lupin 14. Molluscs (squid, octopus, mussels) ## Display Requirements While the UAE hasn't mandated a specific allergen display format for restaurants (unlike packaged food), best practices include: - Listing allergens next to each menu item using icons or text labels - Including a general allergen disclaimer on the menu - Training staff to answer allergen questions - Maintaining an allergen matrix in the kitchen ## How Qaima Handles Allergens Qaima provides allergen badges for all 14 major allergens. Restaurant operators tag each menu item during setup, and the badges appear automatically in both Arabic and English, matching international iconography standards.