NEW regulations have come into force which is set to help people with eating allergies in Trafford.

From the weekend, restaurants and takeaways are now required by law to tell customers if any of the top 14 allergen ingredients are present in the foods they serve. Meaning consumers can feel more confident when asking about allergenic ingredients when eating out in cafes and restaurants.

It comes as research released by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Allergy UK found that 70 per cent of those with allergies avoided buying takeaways, due to fears about allergens and a lack of trust in the information they were given.

More than half of those with allergies (53 per cent) said they avoided eating in restaurants for the same reason.

Restaurants and takeaways now have to inform their customers about specific allergens, which range from widely known ingredients such as nuts and milk, to less widely recognised, including mustard and lupin seeds, which are often used in flour.

Through these new European regulations it is hoped these changes will bring about a reduction in the number of allergic reactions caused by people accidentally eating food they are allergic to.

On average 10 people die and around 5,000 are hospitalised per year due to allergic reactions.

Chun-Han Chan, food allergy expert at the FSA said: “The legislation is a huge step forward for those with allergies, who should now feel confident they have a right to ask about allergenic ingredients in the foods they buy. This normalises allergen information as something that should be available at all times.”