Allergens with letters A to R: the list and how to use them correctly

The letters in overview

The allergen letters from A to R stand for the 14 major allergens that must be indicated in the catering industry according to EU law. The system is widespread in Austria and is also used in South Tyrol and many businesses in Germany. The assignment is fixed:

Why I, J, K and Q are missing

When seeing the list for the first time, one looks for celery under I and finds it under L. The letters I, J, K, and Q are not assigned in this system. For practical purposes, this means: take the list as it is and do not add your own letters. A K for crustaceans or an I for celery would confuse every guest who knows the system.

The gaps also bring an advantage: a written I or J is easily confused with a 1, and a Q with an O. With the remaining letters, the abbreviations remain unambiguous even in small print.

Numbers 1 to 14 as an alternative

In addition to letters, there is a second common system: The numbers 1 to 14 follow the order of the EU list. 1 stands for gluten, 7 for milk, 12 for sulfites, 14 for molluscs. In Italy this is the usual form, in Germany both are seen.

Which system you choose is less important than consistency. Do not mix both on one menu, and use the same labeling on the printed menu, board, and website.

Labeling on the menu

It has proven effective to place the abbreviations directly behind or below the dish, separated by commas and in slightly smaller font than the name:

• Wiener Schnitzel with potato salad – A, C, G, M
• Mixed salad with house dressing – M, O
• Kaiserschmarrn with plum roast – A, C, G

On a digital menu from Same-QR, you write the abbreviations in the additional line of the dish, for example with potato salad · A, C, G, M or simply A, C, G, M. Letters A to R and numbers 1 to 14 are recognized and displayed uniformly.

Do not forget the legend

Abbreviations without explanation help no one. The legend belongs on the same page or at least clearly visible at the end of the menu. On a printed menu, a single line in small print is sufficient; what matters is that it is complete and the terms are understandable.

For guests from abroad, the Austrian letters are often unfamiliar. On the digital menu of Same-QR, a legend of the abbreviations actually used appears automatically below the menu in the language set on the guest's mobile phone: German, English, French, Italian or Spanish. A guest from the USA then reads, for example, Tree nuts instead of Schalenfrüchte.

Common errors in abbreviations

• G for Gluten instead of A – G stands for Milk.
• Own letters such as I or K that do not appear in the system.
• Letters and numbers mixed on the same menu.
• Abbreviation without legend or with incomplete legend.
• Abbreviations that have not been adjusted after a recipe change.

A brief check after each menu change prevents most of these errors. It is best to have someone who knows the recipes but did not write the menu check the abbreviations.

Frequently asked questions