Helping schools manage food allergens with Litmus Edge
Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of students is at the heart of every school’s responsibility – and this includes providing clear, accurate food allergen information. Anyone involved in school catering knows the importance of complying with legislation and maintaining high standards in food safety, especially when it comes to allergies.
While individuals can be allergic or intolerant to a wide variety of foods, the Food Information Regulations require that 14 specific allergens must be clearly declared by law. These include common ingredients such as celery, eggs, fish, mustard, sesame seeds, and more. Accurate allergen information is vital to help students and staff with allergies make safe food choices every day.
Schools are already highly aware of these responsibilities. However, the practical side of managing allergens can be complex – especially with constantly evolving menus, newly introduced ingredients, and changing kitchen staff. Communicating the allergen profile of every dish accurately and consistently takes time, effort, and expertise.
That’s where Litmus Edge – our specialist in-house food procurement and catering management system – can help. Edge is designed specifically to support schools, helping them streamline processes, stay compliant, and most importantly, protect their students and staff.
How Litmus Edge supports allergen management
Allergen-linked recipes: Litmus Edge provides access to a library of over 4,000 preloaded recipes. Each recipe is linked to supplier data, ensuring nutritional and allergen information is always up-to-date and accurate. This means catering teams can quickly identify which of the 14 regulated allergens are present in each dish – removing the guesswork and helping teams make informed choices during food preparation.
Prepacked for Direct Sale (PPDS) labelling: With the introduction of Natasha’s Law in October 2021, any food that is prepared and packaged on-site before being sold – such as sandwiches, wraps, baked goods, or salad boxes – must be clearly labelled. These labels must include the name of the food, a full ingredients list, and highlight any of the 14 allergens.
Litmus Edge offers a built-in PPDS labelling function, enabling catering teams to generate fully compliant labels at the touch of a button. This not only supports schools in meeting legal requirements but also saves hours of manual admin – allowing staff to focus on delivering great food with confidence.
Supporting safe and inclusive school catering
With allergies on the rise and regulations tightening, the need for efficient, accurate allergen management in school kitchens has never been greater. Litmus Edge helps schools feel confident that they’re not just ticking boxes – they’re actively protecting their students, empowering their staff, and raising standards in school food provision.
