by Andrew Thomson on April 10, 2012
Australia has one of the highest allergy rates in the world, and the problem is growing. Currently, one in 10 children under the age of 5 years old and an increasing number of adults have food allergies. A person can be allergic to just about anything, but most food allergies are generally caused by peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, sesame seeds, fish and shellfish, soy (also known as textured vegetable protein) and wheat.
Every food operation needs to be aware of the risks that food allergies pose to the general public that may be consuming your product. A food allergy is an immune system response to a food protein that the body mistakenly has identified as harmful. It is not the same thing as a food intolerance, which is the inability to properly digest or fully process a particular food. The symptoms of an allergy can vary from person to person and can range from mild to severe or even fatal. Allergic reactions can happen very quickly and some of the symptoms that may present themselves are hives, swelling of the lips, face and eyes, abdominal pain, vomiting, swelling of the throat and tongue, breathing difficulty, dizziness or even collapse.
A food intolerance is more of an uncomfortable physical reaction such as abdominal pain, cramping or gas to some of the more common culprits such as lactose, gluten, yeast and sulfites. For both food allergies and food intolerances, the only way to prevent the unwanted reaction is to avoid the product altogether.
The food safety standards you implement in your business operation should cover how you handle ingredients and how the food is prepared from start to finish.
Attention to a customer’s food allergy requests is not only your legal obligation, but can also build customer loyalty. These must be declared on the food label or in your description of your menu item, regardless of how small the quantity is in the recipe or packaged item.
When preparing a meal for someone with a food allergy, here are a few things to remember:
• Provide the customer with the information that they need to make an informed decision
• Be honest on how the food will be prepared
• Advise all kitchen staff that an allergen free meal is being prepared and inform them about the customer’s specific requests
• Avoid cross contamination of the product, such as spills from another plate
• Store food safely in clearly labeled containers
• Clean and sanitise work surfaces, utensils and hands. Even trace amounts can be harmful.
• Know the ingredients of other items also going into the dish
• Whenever possible, prepare foods for people with food allergies first
• Let the customer know how the item was prepared to ensure their safety
A well developed risk management plan should include training your staff in how to handle situations where diners will need to be made aware of health risks posed by a potential allergen. A good training program should include:
• A process for preparing foods for customers with allergies and ensure that it is followed
• Training should be provided to your staff so that they understand their obligation to declare ingredients or cooking procedures when asked by a customer who may be concerned about food allergies.
• Only use ingredients that are clearly and correctly labeled and avoid ingredient substitution
• Ask your suppliers about their allergen management policy and for a Product Information Form (PIF)
• Consider providing allergen information on all of your menu items
You may come across products that say ‘may contain’ certain allergens, such as ‘may contain nuts’, as many chocolate products that are manufactured in facilities that utilise nuts…this is because the manufacturer is concerned that traces of nuts might be present in the food unintentionally, especially if the food is prepared/processed on the same equipment as products that contain nuts.
It is important to make sure that your staff is trained in how your products are cooked and what ingredients are added to each product.
For more information on food safety products for your food establishment, please visit https://www.thinkstsolutions.com.au/products