Food allergen awareness is incredibly important for any kitchen, by keeping yourself and your staff regularly trained you can keep compliant and provide your customers with accurate, safe information. Here are our top tips on allergen safety:
- Having an effective food safety system in place is essential to keep on top of your allergens and staff training
- Check ALL ingredients and allergen information on packaged goods/sauces/spices, etc.
- If the manufacturer states “may contain” you must also state “may contain” – NB – If a food is noted as “may contain”, it is not suitable for a person with that allergy.
- Include potential cross contamination as “may contain” on your allergen matrix – ie. If you fry fish in a fryer and then fry onion rings or chips in the same fryer – the onion rings or chips “may contain fish” (potential contamination)
- Wash hands before preparing the food
- Use a clean knife, board and utensils for each task
- Clean and sanitise work surfaces using sanitiser and blue roll (not cloths to avoid cross contamination)
- Use a separate spread for gluten free food (just one breadcrumb can make a person allergic to gluten sick)
- A purple chopping board is NOT designated for all allergen free meals – it must be designated for a specific use eg. If you prepare gluten free sandwiches and cakes, designate the purple board for gluten free breads and cakes
Alert!
For some people with a food allergy just a trace of some allergens can be fatal!
Manage your allergens with our all in one food safety system
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Food For Thought!
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.