Tip of the Week
This month a fatal accident occurred when a 24 year old woman, who had a dairy allergy, died after stirring her drink with a teaspoon that was contaminated with milk
Jess went into anaphylaxis and, even though she administered her EpiPen, she sadly died from this fatal reaction.
This sad incident highlights that for some people with a food allergy just a trace of some allergens can be fatal.
It is essential to have stringent allergen procedures in place – Here are some tips to Safely Manage Allergens in your kitchen.
*Double check ingredients and avoid cross contamination in the kitchen*.
Food being prepared for someone with an allergy must be prepared separately from other foods to ensure no cross contamination.
- Check ALL ingredients and allergen information on packaged goods/sauces/spices, etc.
- If the manufacturer states “may contain” you must also state “may contain”
- Wash hands before preparing the food
- Use a clean knife and board
- Clean and sanitise work surfaces using sanitiser and blue roll (not cloths as they can be a cause of cross contamination)
- Use a separate spread for gluten free food (just one breadcrumb can make a person allergic to gluten sick)
- Remember to check ingredients in food preparation – marinades, buttermilk
- Do not cross contaminate ingredients during cooking (ie. separate batter for halloumi (milk), fish and onion rings, keep a separate area on your grill for gluten free foods that is not used to char bread, use separate toaster for gluten free bread, etc.).
Alert
It is your responsibility to ensure the food you serve is safe so double check the food is correct BEFORE serving to any person with an allergy
Weekly Food Fact
Did you know that only 8 types of foods are responsible for causing 90% of allergic reactions. The main 8 foods are cows’ milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, shellfish, nuts, soya and wheat.
