When it comes to festive food, consumers have come to expect an ever-expanding variety of choice. Gone are the days when seasonal shelves offered a handful of classics. Now, you’ll find mince pies with chocolate, orange, or salted caramel. Cakes infused with liqueur, savoury treats with unusual spice blends, and free-from or vegan alternatives for a wide selection of items.
This explosion in choice delights consumers, but for food manufacturers, it can create a perfect storm when it comes to managing allergen risks.
The run-up to Christmas is already the busiest time of the year. Add in more recipes, more ingredients, and more production line switches, and the complexity multiplies. With that complexity comes heightened risk of unlabelled allergens in food, both from unintentional inclusion and incorrect labelling of products.
And, when allergens are involved, even small mistakes can have serious consequences. Reactions can range from mild symptoms, such as rashes or stomach discomfort, to severe, life-threatening anaphylaxis. A single slip – the wrong label applied, an allergen introduced through cross-contact, or a contaminated ingredient arriving from a supplier – can lead to product recalls, reputational damage, and legal action.
It is a problem that shows no sign of abating. The Food Standards Agency issues regular alerts about undeclared allergens in food products, and these now account for more than half of all food recalls in the UK. The sheer frequency of these notices is a reminder that the risk is constant – and appears to be increasing year on year.
The seasonal squeeze
Festive production often means scaling up operations. Many manufacturers bring in seasonal staff to meet demand. While essential, this influx can introduce additional risk – temporary workers may have less experience, may not be fully familiar with site protocols, and may face language barriers. Without careful training and supervision, those factors can increase the likelihood of allergen cross-contact.
Even established teams can feel the strain. In the rush to produce multiple product lines, the pressure can intensify, and with pressure comes the danger of overlooking critical steps.
It’s not just about the recipes themselves. Allergen-related recalls are as likely to be caused by packaging errors as by formulation mistakes. When packaging designs are similar, as is common at Christmas when product ranges often share festive branding, it can be easier for a product to end up in the wrong box, or with the wrong label applied.
As complexity increases, so does risk
At the heart of the risk is process complexity. The more allergens a producer handles, and the more often production lines switch between recipes, the greater the chance of something going wrong.
One of the most common issues we see in the industry is allergen cross-contact. This happens when traces of an allergen from one product remain on the line and unintentionally contaminate the next product, which isn’t supposed to contain it.
In these cases, businesses may need to use ‘may contain’ labelling, which brings its own challenges. Consumers often misunderstand this wording, and it can lead to confusion or reduced confidence in the product. It can, however, reduce the arguably larger risk of sending out products with unlabelled allergen content.
Being proactive
While no system is fool proof, the best defence against allergen incidents is a proactive approach. It begins with mapping allergens throughout the site so there is a clear picture of where each is stored, handled, and used.
Processes should be thoroughly documented and kept up to date, with a clear allergen management policy and procedures in place. Training is critical, not only for permanent employees but for seasonal and agency staff, and should include both general allergen awareness and role-specific requirements.
Managing the supply chain is equally important. Approved suppliers should be carefully vetted, audited where appropriate, and held to agreed standards. Where backup suppliers are needed, they must meet the same criteria to avoid introducing unexpected risks.
High-risk areas and recipe changeovers should be assessed in detail. It’s also a good idea to test your processes with mock recalls or product withdrawal exercises.
Finally, testing and verification should be carried out to confirm that cleaning and segregation processes are working as intended.
These activities are not one-off tasks. Recipes, packaging, suppliers, and personnel change, alongside allergen management must be an ongoing cycle of review, learning, and continuous improvement.
Creating a strong food-safety culture in an organisation is the responsibility of business leaders, as everyone from senior managers to production staff need to understand the importance of allergen management and feel responsible for upholding good practices.
Support is available
For businesses looking to strengthen their allergen controls, specialist support is available.
Companies like Campden BRI offer a range of services, including consultancy for both proactive planning and reactive incident support
There is also support available via the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website.
Looking ahead
As festive product ranges continue to expand, the pressures and complexities on manufacturers will only grow. But with forward planning, robust controls, and a commitment to continuous improvement, businesses can navigate the season confidently – keeping customers coming back for more by offering variety, without compromising on safety.
After all, Christmas is about joy, not risk. And with the right approach to allergen management, it can stay that way.
About the author
Wendy Duncan is the safety, quality & allergens manager at Campden BRI.
