Allergen information
Our catering service has a procedure where we aim to cater for pupils who have special diets for medical reasons.
The 14 most common food allergens (identified by the European Union) are:
- celery
- cereals containing gluten (including wheat, oats, barley and rye)
- crustaceans
- eggs (including hen, duck, etc.)
- fish
- lupin
- milk (including cows, goats, sheep, etc.)
- molluscs
- mustard
- nuts (including almond, hazelnut, walnut, cashew, pecan, brazil, etc.)
- peanuts
- sesame
- soya
- sulphur dioxide (above 10mg/kg in the finished product)
If you need to register your child as having a special diet then please ask the school office for the Special Diet Requirement Form. Please ensure that alongside the special diet requirement form you also provide a medical letter confirming the child’s dietary requirement(s).
Once these two documents have been obtained then please return to the school office where they will be sent on for the attention of the food and nutrition coordinator. We cannot provide special diet meals until we have both the form AND the medical letter from the medical practitioner detailed on the specific form.
In addition to medical requirements, the special diet process covers vegan diets and diets for religious reasons. If your child follows either of these diets then please ask the school office for a Special Diet Requirement Form – no medical letter is required for this.
In primary schools and nurseries we have menus for gluten, egg and dairy free pupils who have been registered as receiving a special diet. Allergen and ingredients information for the current menu are also available.
For a copy of these menus please contact specialdietrequests@scotborders.gov.uk or your school.
In Secondary Schools full allergen information is available at each High School. Menus can be viewed online, as well as allergen and ingredients information. This information is also available via the Fusion pre-order app.
Labelling of food sold prepacked for direct sale
Legislation regarding the labelling of food sold prepacked for direct sale came into effect on 1 October 2021. It requires food businesses to provide full ingredient lists and allergen labelling on foods pre-packaged for direct sale (PPDS). The legislation is being introduced to protect allergy sufferers.
PPDS food items will have to clearly display the following information on the packaging:
- Name of the food
- Full ingredients list, with allergenic ingredients emphasised
From 1 October 2021 this information became available to the consumer at point of ordering whether that be through online systems or over the counter.