Allergen Matrix for Food Manufacturers

Know which allergens are in every product – calculated from your recipes and supplier specifications, checked against the label.

• Product allergens calculated from recipes × raw-material specs
• Label check flags an allergen missing on the label
• Shared-line risk and allergen changeover check
• Instant download: BLANK + EXAMPLE · Printable matrix + clean record
• Built by a food production manager · one-time purchase, no subscription, no macros

▶ Requires Microsoft Excel 2016 or newer on a computer (Windows or Mac). Not for Google Sheets, Apple Numbers or mobile apps.

An allergen matrix for food manufacturers: bakeries, dairies, deli and ready-meal producers, confectioners and co-packers. Enter the allergens of each raw material once (from the supplier specification), add your recipes and the declaration printed on each label – Excel calculates the allergen profile of every product, flags allergens missing on the label, shows which allergens run on each line and tells you when a changeover needs an allergen clean.

Built by a food production manager who works with allergen controls, supplier specs and audits in a real plant.

WHAT IT DOES

• Raw-material allergen register – up to 300 materials: C (contains) / M (may contain – supplier statement) per allergen, supplier, spec date, review due date, OVERDUE / NO DATE
• Recipes – product + material code, one row each (2,000 lines); intermediates as their own material
• Allergen matrix – 150 products × 20 allergens: C contains · M may contain · L shared line · ? data incomplete. Printable A4 landscape with revision date and legend
• Label check per product – ✖ Missing on label · ⚠ raw material may contain, not on label · ⚠ on label, not in recipe · ⚠ ingredient spec overdue · ✖ INCOMPLETE when data is missing
• Blank is never "free from" – every material needs C / M marks or "No allergens = Yes"; missing data shows ? in the matrix
• Line matrix – which allergens run on each line, free-from candidates for scheduling and cleaning validation
• Changeover check – your production order per line: "ALLERGEN CLEAN – removes: Eggs, Milk" or "No allergen clean needed"; previous product shown with its row number
• Clean record – cleaned by, verified by, Pass / Fail → Open · No clean record · FAIL – re-clean · OK – released only with both names and Pass; incomplete allergen data is never shown as "no clean required"
• Dashboard – missing on label, labels to check, specs overdue, cleans not released, every allergen by products and lines

WHAT'S INCLUDED (ZIP)

• SmartFactoryTools_Allergen_Matrix_v1.1_BLANK.xlsx – ready for your products
• SmartFactoryTools_Allergen_Matrix_v1.1_EXAMPLE.xlsx – fictional deli & bakery plant, 33 materials, 20 products, 4 lines
• Quick_Start_Guide.pdf – 2 pages
• Printable_Allergen_Forms.pdf – blank A4 allergen matrix + allergen changeover clean record

HOW IT WORKS

1. SETUP – allergen list (EU/UK 14 pre-filled, editable, 6 free slots – e.g. US major 9), production lines, spec review interval
2. MATERIALS – C / M per allergen from each supplier specification
3. PRODUCTS – lines and the allergen declaration on the current label
4. RECIPES – which materials are in each product
5. ALLERGEN_MATRIX, LINE_MATRIX, CHANGEOVER_CHECK, DASHBOARD – fix every ✖ first

A recipe or a raw material changed? Update one row – the matrix, label check and changeover check update at once.

ABOUT "L" (SHARED LINE)

L means another product on the same line contains the allergen. It shows a potential cross-contact risk to assess (cleaning validation, scheduling, separation) – it is NOT automatically a "may contain" label. Precautionary labelling stays your decision after your risk assessment. L can be switched off.

WHO IT'S FOR

• QA, technical and food safety managers
• NPD and production managers in small and medium food plants
• Bakeries, dairies, deli salads, ready meals, confectionery, co-packers
• Anyone preparing for IFS, BRCGS, FSSC 22000, SQF or customer audits (the file does not replace those standards)

LIMITS

• A management and checking tool – not a legal labelling service. Allergen lists and label rules depend on your country.
• One recipe level (intermediates = own material). No ppm / threshold (VITAL) assessment, no sub-recipe roll-up, no label printing, no cost or nutrition.
• The changeover clean record is one row per clean – not a full cleaning log (no ATP values, chemicals or e-signatures).
• 20 allergens · 300 materials · 150 products · 2,000 recipe lines · 20 lines · 300 changeover rows.
• Sheets are protected without a password to prevent accidental damage – you can unprotect them (Review › Unprotect Sheet).

FAQ

Q: Does it work in Google Sheets or on an iPad?

A: No – it is built and tested for Microsoft Excel 2016 or newer on a computer.

Q: Can I use the US allergen list?

A: Yes – rename the allergen rows or use the free slots (e.g. Wheat). Each row is one column in every matrix.

Q: Does "L" mean I must label "may contain"?

A: No. L is a prompt for your cross-contact risk assessment, not a labelling decision.

Q: How is the previous product for the changeover found?

A: Same line only – by date, then sequence, then row order. Other lines are never used.

Q: Can I print the matrix for customers?

A: Yes – A4 landscape with revision date and legend. Switch L off first if you do not want to show it.

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

This is a digital product – nothing is shipped. After purchase, download the ZIP from Etsy (Purchases and reviews) on a computer, unzip it and open the BLANK file in Excel.

Related SmartFactoryTools templates: Master Sanitation Schedule & Cleaning Log, HACCP CCP Monitoring Log, Changeover Time Calculator, Multi-Level Product Costing.

LICENSE

For use in your own company or organisation (any number of sites and employees). Reselling, sharing or uploading the file to other websites is not permitted.

© SmartFactoryTools – Factory tools without expensive software.