For delegates avoiding a particular allergen, choose dried fruit by checking the current pack for that allergen, its ingredients and any cross-contact warning; a short fruit-based ingredient list is not enough. Asda’s listings for BEAR Dried Mango & Passionfruit and BEAR Dried Cherry state that those products are free from sulphur dioxide and sulphites, nut-free and gluten-free, while the cited apricot and pineapple products list sulphites. Keep the pack information available at service, especially if fruit is served loose.
Match each delegate’s stated allergen requirement to the exact product being served. Check its current ingredients, relevant free-from claims and cross-contact wording rather than relying on a general description of the snack.
Keep product identities and allergen information clear when offering both packaged portions and loose fruit. The Food Standards Agency’s guidance covers allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked food served by catering businesses.
Check each fruit product individually. The Food Standards Agency identifies sulphur dioxide and sulphites as ingredients used in some dried fruit, including raisins, apricots and prunes; the fruit category alone cannot establish suitability.
Start with the named allergen, then check whether the chosen pack and serving method will keep its information available to delegates.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Named allergens | Read the current pack’s ingredients and allergen declaration. Check whether any free-from claim names the allergen in question and whether a cross-contact warning affects suitability. | I need to identify a snack against a delegate’s specific requirement, not assume that all dried fruit has the same allergen status. |
| Sulphites | Look for sulphur dioxide, sulphites or metabisulphite in the declaration. Asda lists its BEAR mango and cherry products as free from sulphur dioxide and sulphites; Sainsbury’s lists sulphur dioxide in its 40 g dried apricots. | For a sulphite-free selection, I want an explicit statement covering the exact product delivered, rather than a conclusion drawn from its fruit ingredients. |
| Serving format | Check whether portions can stay in their original packs. For loose service, retain product information, label the fruit and use separate utensils and storage where other allergens are present, in line with Food Standards Scotland’s allergen-management guidance. | Delegates should still be able to identify the fruit and its allergen information when they reach the buffet. |
| Pack suitability | Compare the stated pack size with the planned service. Check preparation directions for unfamiliar fruit products before offering them as ready-to-eat snacks. | I may need portions that are straightforward to hand out, or a larger pack for managed buffet service; either way, the allergen checks still apply. |
Those descriptions answer different questions. M&S lists sulphur dioxide in its dried pineapple despite its free-from-added-sugars wording, and marks that product unsuitable for people with nut, peanut or sesame allergies.
Check the full declaration and any suitability warning for the particular allergen a delegate needs to avoid.
Sainsbury’s dried apricots and the Whitworths Golden Apricots listed by Sainsbury’s both include sulphur dioxide. The Food Standards Agency also identifies sulphites as an ingredient used in some dried fruit.
For sulphite avoidance, check the delivered pack and choose a product whose current declaration explicitly meets that requirement.
Removing the pack can separate the fruit from its ingredient and allergen information. Shared utensils or nearby foods also introduce cross-contact concerns during service.
Keep sealed portions where practical. If serving fruit loose, retain its pack information, label it clearly and use separate utensils and storage, following Food Standards Scotland’s catering guidance.
Asda’s listings for the named BEAR mango and cherry products provide product-specific free-from statements.
Sainsbury’s publishes allergen information for its own-brand products and lists ingredients for individual dried-fruit products.
Tesco Seedless Raisins 500G is a larger-pack example for a general buffet.
Whitworths offers portioned fruit assortments as well as dried apricots, but the contents need checking by product.
M&S explains its allergen-warning approach and provides ingredient information for individual fruit products.
These fruit rolls, dates, goji berries and freeze-dried peach offer different pack formats for conference snacks. Check each delivered product’s current allergen declaration against the delegate’s requirements before choosing how to serve it.
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The five 20 g fruit rolls may suit a portioned snack plan rather than a bowl of conventional dried fruit. Check the packaging of each roll and the current allergen declaration before using it for a named allergy requirement.
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The two 100 g packs offer a different format from individually portioned snacks. Check the preparation directions before planning to serve the wolfberries ready to eat; if serving them loose, retain the pack’s allergen information and use a dedicated utensil.
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The 300 g pack is an option to assess for managed buffet service. Before using it for a particular free-from requirement, check the delivered pack’s full declaration; keep its information available and prevent cross-contact if the dates are served loose.
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This 80 g pack may suit a smaller fruit offering, subject to its current allergen declaration. Check the preparation directions before treating the berries as a ready-to-eat conference snack, and retain their identity and allergen information if serving them loose.
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The 10 g freeze-dried peach pack is a small-format option rather than a larger buffet pack. Check its current allergen declaration for the intended delegates and account for the different texture when planning the snack selection.
Do not use that blanket description on the basis that the food is fruit. Check each product for the allergens being avoided and for cross-contact warnings: M&S, for example, lists sulphites and nut, peanut and sesame suitability warnings for its cited dried pineapple.
Yes. The Food Standards Agency’s UK guidance says catering food businesses must provide allergen information for both prepacked and non-prepacked food. Keep the information for the exact product available when dried fruit is served from a bowl; Food Standards Scotland also specifies that information on the 14 regulated allergens in non-prepacked food must be available before purchase.
Where practical, retain the original sealed pack so its identity and current declaration stay with the food. If serving it loose, keep its allergen information accessible and separate its storage and utensils from foods containing the allergen, in line with Food Standards Scotland’s guidance.
Not without checking the exact product. The cited Sainsbury’s Dried Apricots 40g and Whitworths Golden Apricots 140g both list sulphur dioxide, so neither fits a sulphite-free requirement on those declarations. Check the delivered pack before choosing an alternative.
No. That wording concerns sugar addition, not allergen suitability. M&S describes its cited dried pineapple as free from added sugars while listing sulphur dioxide and warnings concerning nut, peanut and sesame allergies.