Guide
How to label gravy and jus
Gravy granules and jus bases frequently contain wheat, soya, celery and milk. On PPDS meals that include gravy in the pack, declare it with allergens emphasised.
Reviewed against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.
The short answer
Gravy granules and jus bases frequently contain wheat, soya, celery and milk. On PPDS meals that include gravy in the pack, declare it with allergens emphasised.
Emphasise Annex II allergens inside the ingredients list — bold, capitals, colour or underline — as set out in FSA allergen labelling guidance.
How to apply it
Gravy granules and jus bases frequently contain wheat, soya, celery and milk. On PPDS meals that include gravy in the pack, declare it with allergens emphasised. Emphasise Annex II allergens inside the ingredients list — bold, capitals, colour or underline — as set out in FSA allergen labelling guidance. Walk the product in front of you against the checklist below before you print. The mistake to refuse is: If it is in the pack, it is an ingredient.
- Read granule and stock specs
- Emphasise celery, wheat, soya, milk as present
- Homemade gravy still needs an honest list
- Do not assume “just beef juices”
Worked example
Worked example for “How to label gravy and jus”: take one real SKU you sell this week. Apply the first check — read granule and stock specs. Then contrast it with emphasise celery, wheat, soya, milk as present. Write the name of the food and the full ingredients list from today’s recipe and supplier specs, emphasise every Annex II allergen each time it appears, and only then print. If the pack in your hand does not match that list, it is not ready for sale. (Gravy granules and jus bases frequently contain wheat, soya, celery and milk.)
Checklist before you print
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Read granule and stock specs | For “How to label gravy and jus”, “Read granule and stock specs” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Emphasise celery, wheat, soya, milk as present | For “How to label gravy and jus”, “Emphasise celery, wheat, soya, milk as present” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Homemade gravy still needs an honest list | For “How to label gravy and jus”, “Homemade gravy still needs an honest list” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Do not assume “just beef juices” | For “How to label gravy and jus”, “Do not assume “just beef juices”” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
Leaving gravy off a meal-deal label
If it is in the pack, it is an ingredient.
Go deeper
Next: Allergens in gravy granules. The usual powder traps. Then paste your ingredients into the free generator and confirm allergens before you print.
Questions
Is cornflour gravy allergen-free?
What about onion gravy mix?
Official sources
Everything on this page traces back to these. Where they and we disagree, they are right — tell us and we'll fix it.
- Introduction to allergen labelling for PPDS foodFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK
- Labelling guidance for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food productsFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK
- Food allergen labelling and information requirements technical guidanceFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK
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