What is an allergen matrix?

A table showing which of the 14 allergens each dish contains, used by staff to answer guest questions and to meet allergen information rules.

Should the matrix list ingredients or dishes?

Both. List components such as sauces and bought-in products first, then build dishes from them, so a change to one component updates every dish.

How often should an allergen matrix be updated?

Every time a recipe, ingredient or supplier changes, before the food is served, plus a full review at each menu change.

Should drinks be in the allergen matrix?

Yes. Cocktails, wines, beers and liqueurs can contain egg, milk, nuts, gluten and sulphites.

Can a digital menu replace the matrix?

A digital menu that stores allergens per dish can act as the matrix, provided staff can access it during service and it is kept current.

Should the matrix show 'may contain' allergens?

Yes, in a separate column or with a distinct symbol, so staff can tell guests about real cross-contact risks without confusing them with ingredients.

Allergen matrix template: how to build one that stays accurate all season

By the Menulta editorial team · Facts checked 15 October 2026 · Updated 15 October 2026

The short answer

An allergen matrix is a table with your dishes as rows and the 14 EU allergens as columns, marking which allergens each dish contains. The most reliable matrices are built from components rather than finished dishes: each sauce, stock, dough, dressing and bought-in product gets its own row, and dishes inherit allergens from their components. Date the matrix, give one person responsibility for it, and update it the same day any recipe or supplier changes.

The columns: the 14 allergens

Use the Annex II list of Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 as your columns, in a fixed order so staff learn where to look: cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphites, lupin and molluscs. Add a notes column for the specific source, such as 'barley' for gluten or 'pistachio' for nuts, and a column for cross-contact risks.

The rows: components first, then dishes

Most matrices fail because they list only finished dishes, so a change to a shared sauce has to be remembered in ten places. Build two layers instead. First, a component list: every stock, sauce, dressing, dough, marinade, garnish and bought-in product, each with its allergens taken from the recipe or the supplier label. Second, a dish list: each dish names its components, and its allergens are the combination of theirs.

In a spreadsheet, this can be done with simple formulas. In a digital menu system, it is done automatically when dishes are built from components.

Example component rows in an allergen matrix
Component	Allergens	Source / notes
House vinaigrette	Mustard, sulphites	Dijon mustard; white wine vinegar
Chicken stock (bought-in)	Celery	Label: celery extract
Fresh pasta	Gluten (wheat), egg	Made in-house
Pesto	Nuts (cashew), milk	Cashews and Parmesan
Ciabatta (bakery)	Gluten (wheat), sesame (may contain)	Bakery precautionary statement

Marking the matrix clearly

Use a clear 'Yes' or a filled cell for allergens present, leave cells empty when absent, and use a separate symbol or column for 'may contain' cross-contact. Avoid ticks and crosses, which mean opposite things to different people. Print the allergen names at the top of every page so a waiter never has to count columns.

Include everything guests can order

Starters, mains, sides, sauces and extras.
Desserts, including bought-in cakes and ice creams.
Bread and butter, olives and complimentary snacks.
Drinks: cocktails, wines (sulphites, fining agents), beers (gluten), liqueurs (nuts, milk).
Children's menu and set menus.
Daily specials, added each morning with full allergen information.

Keeping it accurate

Put a date and a name on the matrix. Whenever a recipe, ingredient or supplier changes, the person making the change updates the component row before the food is served, and the dishes update with it. Check every delivery of a substituted product against its component row. Review the whole matrix at each menu change, and spot-check a few dishes each month against the current labels in the kitchen.

Where the matrix lives

A matrix is only useful if staff can reach it during service. Keep a current printed copy at the pass and the bar, and a digital version that is the master copy. If you use a digital menu that shows allergens per dish, the menu can become the matrix guests and staff both read, which removes the risk of the printed copy and the menu disagreeing.

Common mistakes

Building the matrix once and never updating it.
Leaving out specials, desserts or drinks.
Copying allergens from the dish name rather than the recipe.
Missing celery and mustard in stocks and dressings.
Using 'may contain' on every dish instead of assessing real risks.
Several versions in circulation, none clearly current.

Spreadsheet or digital system?

A spreadsheet is a reasonable start for a small menu: one sheet for components, one for dishes, and a formula that combines component allergens into each dish. It becomes hard to manage as the menu grows, when several people edit it, or when it has to be translated. A digital menu or recipe system that stores allergens per component handles those problems automatically and keeps the version guests see in step with the version the kitchen uses.

Sources

This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. Guests with an allergy should follow their doctor's advice. Operators should confirm their own setup with their food safety adviser or local authority.