A non-immune adverse reaction to a food, such as lactose intolerance, that can cause discomfort but is not the same as a food allergy and is not typically…
A food allergy is an immune-system reaction that can be severe or life-threatening. A food intolerance does not involve the immune system, is usually dose-related and generally not life-threatening. Lactose intolerance is a common example of an intolerance, not an allergy.
No. Lactose intolerance is a non-immune reaction caused by difficulty digesting lactose, the sugar in milk. A milk allergy, by contrast, is an immune response to milk protein and can be severe. The two are different conditions and should not be confused.
The mandatory declaration rules focus on the declared allergens that cause serious immune reactions. Intolerances are not covered in the same way, though providing accurate ingredient information still helps customers managing an intolerance make suitable choices.
Intolerances can cause significant discomfort, such as digestive symptoms, but are generally not life-threatening in the way anaphylaxis from a food allergy can be. That said, businesses should still take requests seriously and give accurate information.
Err on the side of caution and treat it as an allergy until it is clarified. Give accurate ingredient information, apply strict controls if there is any doubt, and never guess about whether a dish contains the ingredient in question.