Texas Tightens the Rules on Food Allergies and Ingredients
Texas has always prided itself on leading with independence, innovation, and hospitality — and that now extends to how the state approaches food safety and transparency.
Over the past year, lawmakers have passed two major food-related measures that directly impact how restaurants, suppliers, and food producers operate. Together, they signal a clear shift: Texans want to know what’s in their food, and businesses are being asked to deliver that information clearly and responsibly.
For restaurants, that means adapting early — not just to comply with new rules, but to meet growing expectations from diners who want confidence in what they’re eating.
The Sergio Lopez Food Allergy Awareness Act (SB 812)
In 2024, Texas lawmakers unanimously passed the Sergio Lopez Food Allergy Awareness Act, a bill requiring every restaurant and retail food establishment to display a food-allergy awareness poster where employees can easily see it.
The goal is prevention through awareness — ensuring staff understand the basics of food allergies and how to act if something goes wrong.
The official poster, developed by the Texas Department of State Health Services, highlights:
The nine major allergens recognized by the FDA (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame)
Common symptoms of allergic reactions
How to prevent cross-contact in kitchen and prep areas
Emergency steps for assisting a guest experiencing an allergic reaction
The law honors Sergio Lopez, a Texas teenager who lost his life to an accidental peanut exposure. His story inspired bipartisan action to make allergy education a standard part of food-service safety (MySA, KSAT).
While the poster requirement is simple, it reflects a much larger reality: restaurants are expected to be proactive about allergen safety — not reactive. Diners increasingly want reassurance that the people preparing their food understand what’s at stake.
Texas’ New Food Additive Labeling Law
In June 2025, Governor Greg Abbott signed another food-safety measure requiring warning labels on packaged foods that contain any of 44 additives and dyes banned or restricted in other countries (Fox 7 Austin, CIRS Group).
This new labeling law applies mainly to packaged food and beverage products, not restaurant meals. However, it reflects the same underlying message — that consumers have a right to transparency about what’s in the food they eat.
The list of additives includes certain colorants, preservatives, and emulsifiers that have faced scrutiny in Europe and Asia for potential health effects. Products sold in Texas containing those substances will be required to display a clear warning label starting January 1, 2027.
Even though restaurants aren’t directly covered, these changes will affect the broader culture around food. As shoppers become used to seeing ingredient warnings in grocery aisles, they’ll start to expect the same clarity when they eat out.
Transparency is becoming a baseline expectation — and restaurants that stay ahead of that curve can turn compliance into a competitive advantage.
What This Means for Texas Restaurants
Between allergy-awareness rules and ingredient labeling mandates, Texas restaurants are entering a new era where food information is part of the dining experience.
Here’s how to prepare and stay ahead:
Train and refresh your staff regularly.
Make allergen awareness a living part of your training — not a one-time checkbox. Staff turnover is high, and education needs to keep up.Audit your menu and recipes.
Identify where the Top 9 allergens appear in each dish. Keep internal records up to date and ensure consistency between kitchen prep and printed or online menus.Create a clear process for guest inquiries.
Servers and managers should know who can answer allergen-related questions quickly and confidently.Keep ingredient information accessible.
Whether printed, digital, or both, transparency builds trust. If your restaurant changes menus seasonally, include that in your update process.Plan ahead for possible new requirements.
Laws like SB 812 are likely the start, not the end. As other states and advocacy groups push for menu-level disclosure, restaurants that prepare now will save time, risk, and money later.
The Bigger Trend: Food Confidence
The focus on transparency isn’t just about safety — it’s about trust. Diners today want to know that restaurants take their health, values, and preferences seriously. That means clarity not only about allergens but also about ingredients, sourcing, and preparation.
For Texas restaurants, this is an opportunity to lead. By going beyond what’s legally required and showing commitment to transparency, restaurants can stand out in an increasingly cautious dining landscape.
How Tummy Helps
Tummy was built to help restaurants navigate these challenges — when transparency matters as much as taste.
Our platform helps restaurants organize and share ingredient and allergen information clearly and easily, while keeping full control of their own menus. With Tummy, restaurants can:
Display ingredient and allergen details confidently
Help guests find dishes that fit their needs
Reduce confusion and mitigate potential risk
Show your commitment to transparency and safety
We make it simple to meet modern expectations — helping your restaurant stay ahead of new laws, protect your business, and serve every guest with confidence.
Sources
Texas Legislature Online, SB 812 (2024) – Sergio Lopez Food Allergy Awareness Act
Texas Department of State Health Services, Food Allergy Awareness Resources (2024)
MySA, “New Law Requires Food Allergy Awareness Posters in Texas Restaurants” (2024)
KSAT News, “Texas Enacts Sergio Lopez Food Allergy Awareness Act” (2024)
Fox 7 Austin, “Texas to Require Warning Labels on Food with Certain Additives” (2025)
CIRS Group, “Texas Updates Food Labeling Law – 44 Ingredients Require Warning Labels” (2025)
Texas Restaurant Association, “New Laws, New Opportunities for Texas Foodservice Industry” (2025)