Brief guide for kids with food allergies and intolerances in restaurants and bars

These eating disorder have increased in the last years and also the local legislation has taken big steps toward transparency and consumere protection.

Since 2014, the food authorities require restaurant bars and any provider to highlight in the menu the ingredients and any presence of allergens and frozen and raw materials for each individual dish.

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The allergens in question that have to be put in evidence in the menu (underlines or in bolt) are 14 and are reported by the law itself.

Here is the list:
1. Cereals containing gluten, i.e.: wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut or their hybridized strains and derived products.
2. Shellfish and shellfish products.
3. Eggs and egg products.
4. Fish and fish products.
5. Peanuts and peanut products.
6. Soy and soy products.
7. Milk and milk-based products (including lactose).
8. Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts or Queensland nuts and their products).
9. Celery and celery-based products.
10. Mustard and mustard-based products.
11. Sesame seeds and sesame seed products.
12. Sulfur dioxide and sulphites (in concentrations above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre in terms of total SO2).
13. Lupines and lupine products.
14. Crustaceans and crustacean products.

If the product your child is sensible to is not in the list do not worry. It is compulsory of the waiter upon request to bring you the specific ingredients of all preparations (it is a requirement also for supermarkets and groceries) so you can choose fully informed.

Exploring typical food specialties should be a fun and tasty adventure for all your family during your Italian holiday. Take all precautions on what you eat but do not give up in knowing such an important part of the local culture.