Documentation & responsible buying
Allergen Information for Matcha Drinks
EU food information rules (Regulation 1169/2011) list 14 allergens that must be declared, and the duty applies to drinks served in cafés as well as to packaged food. In a matcha drink, the allergens usually come from what you add to the matcha (milk, plant drinks, syrups, toppings), so your allergen information has to be built drink by drink from every ingredient, not from the matcha alone. This guide maps the 14 allergens onto typical matcha drinks and sets out the records to keep.
This is a practical overview, not legal advice. National rules on how allergen information is presented in cafés differ, so check your local authority's guidance.
The 14 allergens
| # | Allergen | Where it can turn up in matcha drinks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats and hybrids) | Some oat drinks, malt syrups, biscuit or cereal toppings |
| 2 | Crustaceans | Unlikely in drinks |
| 3 | Eggs | Some foams, custard-style toppings, bakery garnishes |
| 4 | Fish | Unlikely in drinks |
| 5 | Peanuts | Peanut toppings or syrups, some praline products |
| 6 | Soybeans | Soy drink, some barista blends and creamers |
| 7 | Milk (including lactose) | Cow's milk, cream, whipped toppings, condensed milk, some chocolate |
| 8 | Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamias) | Almond, cashew or hazelnut drinks; nut syrups; pistachio creams |
| 9 | Celery | Unlikely in drinks |
| 10 | Mustard | Unlikely in drinks |
| 11 | Sesame seeds | Black sesame pastes or toppings |
| 12 | Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/l as SO2) | Some fruit purées, cordials or dried fruit garnishes |
| 13 | Lupin | Some plant-based products and flours |
| 14 | Molluscs | Unlikely in drinks |
"Unlikely" is not "never". Check every ingredient's own label, because recipes change.
Where allergens hide in matcha drinks
Milks and plant drinks
Milk is the most common allergen on a matcha menu. Plant drinks bring their own: soy, and nuts in almond, cashew or hazelnut drinks.
Oat drinks need particular attention. Oats are listed among the cereals containing gluten, and whether a particular oat drink is declared as containing gluten depends on the product. Read the label of the exact brand and variant you stock, and update your records when you change brand. Choosing matcha for oat, soy and almond drinks covers the flavour side.
Syrups and sweeteners
Flavoured syrups can contain nuts, milk or cereals (malt). Sauces and caramel often contain milk. Keep the label or specification for every syrup on the bar.
Toppings and garnishes
Whipped cream, cookie crumbs, sesame, nut sprinkles and chocolate all carry allergens. If a topping is optional, the drink's allergen information should still show it, with a note that it can be left off.
The matcha itself
Matcha is a powdered tea, but you should still hold the supplier's allergen statement for the product you buy, covering both ingredients and cross-contact. Yumi's allergen statement for Ceremonial Barista Matcha and Ceremonial Matcha is not published here; ask us what is available for the current batch through the contact page and file what you receive.
Your own bar
Shared steam wands, jugs, blenders and shakers can transfer milk or nut residue between drinks. If you offer plant drinks for guests avoiding milk, use separate jugs where possible and purge and wipe the steam wand between drinks. Tell guests honestly where cross-contact cannot be ruled out.
Build an allergen matrix
The clearest record is a matrix: one row per drink and variant, one column per allergen.
| Drink | Milk / base | Gluten | Milk | Soy | Nuts | Sesame | Sulphites | Other | Checked on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matcha latte | Cow's milk | ✓ | |||||||
| Matcha latte | Oat drink [brand] | per label | |||||||
| Matcha latte | Soy drink [brand] | ✓ | |||||||
| Matcha latte | Almond drink [brand] | ✓ | |||||||
| Iced matcha, vanilla | [base] + [syrup brand] | ||||||||
| Topping: [name] | — |
Fill each cell from the ingredient labels, not memory. Add the supplier allergen statement for the matcha as its own row once you have it.
For menu design around these options, see dairy-free and allergen-aware matcha menu options.
Records to keep
| Record | What it contains | When to update |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredient list per drink | Every ingredient and brand used | When a recipe or brand changes |
| Labels or spec sheets | For every milk, plant drink, syrup, topping | When a new product or variant arrives |
| Supplier allergen statement for matcha | Ingredients and cross-contact information | When the product or supplier changes |
| Allergen matrix | Drink-by-drink allergen presence | Whenever any of the above changes |
| Staff training record | Who has been trained and when | At induction and after changes |
Keep these with your other product documents. What buyers can request from a matcha supplier lists the supplier documents, and a batch log helps if you ever need to link a drink back to a delivery.
Service routine
- [ ] Allergen matrix available to every staff member on shift
- [ ] Staff check the matrix rather than answering from memory
- [ ] Brand substitutions (out-of-stock milk, new syrup) are checked before use
- [ ] Separate jug and purge routine for plant drinks
- [ ] Shift lead consulted when a guest has a serious allergy
- [ ] Matrix reviewed whenever a delivery brings a different brand or variant
Next step
Build the matrix for your current matcha drinks this week, starting with your milk and plant drink labels. Then contact us to ask which allergen documentation is available for the matcha you buy from Yumi, and add it to your file.