Food Allergens in Restaurants: Legal Duties in Romania

In the HoReCa industry, compliance with allergen legislation is not optional — it is a strict legal obligation with direct impact on customer safety and financial risks for business. If you have a restaurant, café or fast-food, you must clearly understand what the law says and how to correctly apply these rules, especially in the context of digital menus.

In this article I explain to you, simply and applied, everything you need to know: from the list of 14 allergens, to correct implementation in the menu and automation with Menivo.

What the law says: European and Romanian legal framework

The legal basis for allergens in Romania is Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011, directly applicable in all EU member states.

This regulation establishes:

• the obligation to inform consumers about allergens

• the method of displaying them

• the responsibility of food industry operators

👉 Very important: the rule applies NOT only to packaged products, but also to dishes served in restaurants.

In other words: if you sell food, you must declare allergens.

In Romania, these provisions are supplemented and applied through:

• ANPC inspections

• ANSVSA inspections

• sanitary and labeling standards

👉 In practice: there is no "gray area" – restaurants are obliged to comply with the same rules as the food industry.

List of 14 major allergens (mandatory)

According to EU legislation, there are 14 categories of allergens that must be declared mandatory.

Complete list:

1. Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats)

2. Crustaceans

3. Eggs

4. Fish

5. Peanuts

6. Soy

7. Milk (including lactose)

8. Tree nuts (nuts, almonds, hazelnuts etc.)

9. Celery

10. Mustard

11. Sesame seeds

12. Sulphur dioxide and sulphites

13. Lupin

14. Molluscs

👉 These allergens must be declared:

• even if they are main ingredients

• even if they are in small quantities

• even if they are "traces"

Legal obligations for restaurants

According to the legislation, a restaurant has several clear obligations:

1. Complete customer information

You must clearly communicate if a dish contains allergens.

👉 This information must be:

• correct

• verifiable

• up-to-date

The law requires that allergen information be available to the consumer before purchase.

2. Visible display

Allergens must:

• be highlighted clearly (bold, symbols, list)

• be easy to read

• be available without asking for additional information

👉 It is not sufficient:

"Information can be requested from staff" – this does NOT fully comply with modern requirements.

3. Direct responsibility of the operator

The restaurant is responsible for:

• correctness of information

• menu updates

• staff training

👉 If a customer has an allergic reaction and the information is missing or wrong → the responsibility is the restaurant's.

4. Applicability to all types of sales

The rules apply to:

• on-site consumption

• delivery

• takeaway

• online order

👉 Including digital menus are subject to the law.

Fines and risks for non-compliance

Ignoring these obligations is not just a compliance issue — it is a real risk.

Possible fines

In Romania, sanctions may include:

• fines from several thousand to tens of thousands of lei

• suspension of activity

• withdrawal of license

👉 ANPC can temporarily close the restaurant for serious non-compliance.

Real risks (more serious than fines)

1. Health problems for customer

Allergic reactions can be severe or even fatal.

2. Lawsuits and compensation

An affected customer can sue the restaurant.

3. Destruction of reputation

A single incident can:

• generate negative reviews

• destroy the brand online

👉 Conclusion: the cost of non-compliance is much higher than correct implementation.

How to correctly display allergens

This is where most restaurants get it wrong.

Classic variant (physical menu)

Correct methods:

1. Allergens in description

Ex:

Pasta Carbonara (contains: gluten, eggs, milk)

2. Numeric codes

Ex:

Pasta Carbonara (1,3,7)

• legend at the end

3. Separate list

• menu + allergen table

👉 Disadvantage:

• difficult to update

• high risk of errors

Modern variant (digital menu)

This is where the major advantage comes in.

A correct digital menu must:

• display allergens for each product

• allow instant updates

• provide visual clarity (icons, highlighting)

👉 Practically:

• the information is more accessible

• the risk of errors decreases

Real difference: digital vs physical menu

👉 From a legal perspective, digital menu is superior.

How Menivo automates compliance

Here we enter the practical zone — how to implement correctly without complicating operations.

1. Allergens set per product

In Menivo:

• each product can have selected allergens

• the list is standardized (the 14)

👉 Eliminates human errors.

2. Automatic display

The system:

• displays allergens automatically in the menu

• highlights them visually

👉 You no longer depend on design or printing.

3. Instant update

Change a recipe?

→ update the product

→ allergens change automatically everywhere

👉 Zero risk of outdated menu.

4. Scalability (multiple locations)

If you have:

• restaurant + delivery

• multiple locations

Menivo allows you:

• centralized control

• legal consistency

5. Customer experience

The customer sees:

• clearly what the product contains

• without having to ask the waiter

👉 Increases confidence and reduces stress.

Most common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

❌ 1. "We don't have dangerous allergens"

All restaurants have allergens.

❌ 2. Lack of updates

You change an ingredient → forget to modify the menu.

❌ 3. Ambiguous display

"May contain traces" is not enough.

❌ 4. Untrained staff

Waiters don't know how to respond correctly.

My recommendation (as correct implementation)

If I were to implement from scratch for a restaurant:

1. Standardize recipes

2. Define allergens per product

3. Use digital menu (not physical)

4. Automate through Menivo

5. Test customer experience

6. Do monthly audit

👉 This eliminates 90% of risks.

Conclusion

Compliance with the rules regarding food allergen restaurant legal obligations Romania is not just a legal requirement — it is a direct responsibility to the customer.

In short:

• there are 14 mandatory allergens

• they must be declared clearly

• the law applies to restaurants too

• fines are real

• the risks are serious

👉 The modern solution is clear:

a well-implemented digital menu + automation.

If you want to do things "by the book", don't rely on manual solutions. Use a system that reduces human error and keeps you compliant permanently.