Allergen Policy

Food Allergies

About ten people die each year in the UK after suffering a severe allergic reaction to a specific food. Around 1 – 2% of adults and 8% of children are allergic to one or more food items. In fact just a handful of foods are to blame for 90% of allergic reactions to food in the UK.

These foods are known as the 'big eight”›. They are: milk,
eggs, peanuts (groundnuts or monkey nuts), nuts (including Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts), fish, shellfish (including mussels, crab and shrimps), soya and wheat.

Many people also suffer from intolerance to various foods. This is not the same as an allergy and whilst unpleasant, symptoms of intolerance are normally not life threatening.

A severe allergic reaction, on the other hand, can cause
swelling of the throat and mouth, difficulty in breathing, collapse and unconsciousness. This is called an 'anaphylactic shock”› and if untreated, can lead to death within minutes of exposure to the food allergen.

Allergens must now legally be clearly identified on all pre-packed foods. Caterers are excluded from this legal requirement, but they do have a duty of care to their customers and must be able to provide accurate information on allergens when requested.

We have a food allergy policy and train all staff to be aware of potential allergen ingredients in products whether made on the premises or purchased.

For bought-in products, never remove labels as they will contain information on allergens. You should also prevent cross-contamination of dishes by allergens, for example:

• Thoroughly clean surfaces, equipment and utensils with hot water and detergent before preparing allergen free dishes
• Thoroughly wash hands before preparing allergenfree dishes
• Check that oil has not been previously used to fry foods that may contain an allergen
• Never use the same utensil to stir two or more products

Remember
• Tiny traces of an allergen can kill
• If a customer asks whether a dish contains a specific ingredient, don”›t guess – find out!

Where can I get more information?
• The Food Standards Agency”›s 'Safer Food Better Business”› pack includes a section on allergens, which helps caterers to identify and control allergens in food.

Information to staff

Customers – food allergies

It is important to know what to do if you serve a customer who says they have a food allergy, because these allergies can be life-threatening.

Pre-packed food

Safety point Why?
If someone asks if a pre-packed food contains a certain ingredient, show them the ingredients list and any warnings on the label. Never guess.

Some foods can contain ingredients that you might not expect them to contain. It is very important for people with a severe food allergy to check the label on all pre-packed foods.

Unwrapped food

Safety point Why?
If you sell unwrapped foods or foods you wrap yourself, you need to take extra care to be aware of what ingredients they contain.

Some foods can contain ingredients that you might not expect them to contain. It is very important for people with a severe food allergy to check the label on all pre-packed foods.

Keep a copy of the ingredient information for any foods that you sell unwrapped or wrap yourself. If a food contains one of the ingredients listed below, try to mention it in the description of the food, e.g. chocolate and almond croissant.

If someone has a severe allergy, they can react to even a tiny amount of the food they are sensitive to. So it is very important for them to know exactly what is in a food.

When handling unwrapped foods, make sure counter tops and equipment have been thoroughly cleaned first. Make sure staff wash their hands thoroughly before starting the task.

This is so you and your staff can check the ingredients if asked by a customer. Clear descriptions help people with food allergies to spot foods that are not suitable for them to eat.

If you have a self-service area, make sure separate containers and utensils are used for different foods and they are never mixed up. If unwrapped foods contain one of the ingredients listed on the back of this sheet, keep them separate from other foods, e.g. keep bread rolls with sesame seeds away from plain rolls.

This is to prevent small amounts of the food that a person is allergic to from getting onto another food accidentally.

Types of food to look out for

Peanuts
Peanuts, also called groundnuts, are found in many foods, including sauces, cakes and desserts.

Nuts
People with nut allergy can react to many types of nut, including walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews and pecans. Nuts are found in many foods, including sauces, desserts, bread, marzipan and ice cream.

Milk
People with milk allergy need to avoid foods containing milk, yoghurt, cream, cheese, butter and other milk products. Watch out for products glazed with milk and ready-made products containing milk powder.

Eggs
Eggs are used in many foods including cakes, mousses, sauces, mayonnaise, pasta and quiche. Sometimes egg is used to bind meat products, such as burgers.

Fish
Some types of fish, especially anchovies, are used in salad dressings, sauces, relishes and on pizzas.

Shellfish
People who are allergic to shellfish often need to avoid all types, including scampi, prawns, mussels and crab.

Soya
Soya comes in different forms, for example, tofu (or beancurd), soya flour and textured soya protein. It is found in many foods, including ice cream, sauces, desserts, meat products and vegetarian products such as 'veggie burgers'.

Gluten
People who have gluten intolerance (also called Coeliac disease) need to avoid cereals such as wheat, rye and barley and foods made from these. Wheat flour is used in many foods such as bread, pasta, cakes, pastry and meat products.

Sesame seeds
Sesame seeds are often used on bread and breadsticks. Tahini (sesame paste) is also used in a number of foods, such as houmous.

Labelling rules – loose foods

Foods that aren't pre-packed don't need to be labelled with the same information as pre-packed foods, so you might not be able to check the ingredients. Foods that aren't pre-packed include foods sold from a butchers, bakery, deli counter or salad bar, sandwiches sold to be eaten straight away, and foods weighed and sold loose.

It's possible that small amounts of the food you need to avoid could have got into one of these products, for example from being next to another food, from a knife or spoon, or from being wrapped in paper or a bag that has touched another food. People with a severe allergy generally avoid these foods.

Labelling rules – pre packs

Every pre-packed food and drink sold in the UK or the rest of the European Union (EU) must show clearly on the label if it contains one of the following as an ingredient (or if one of its ingredients contains, or is made from, one of these):
• celery
• cereals containing gluten (including wheat, rye, barley and oats)
• crustaceans (including prawns, crabs and lobsters)
• eggs
• fish
• lupin
• milk
• molluscs (including mussels and oysters)
• mustard
• nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts
• peanuts
• sesame seeds
• soybeans
• sulphur dioxide and sulphites (preservatives used in some foods and drinks) at levels above 10mg per kg or per litre
Some people are sensitive to foods that are not on this list, so always check the ingredients carefully.

'May contain' labelling
Some food labels say 'may contain nuts' or 'may contain seeds'. This means that even though nuts or seeds aren't deliberately included in the food, the manufacturer can't be sure that the product doesn't accidentally contain small amounts of them. If you have a nut or seed allergy you should avoid these food products.

If you think a food product has been labelled incorrectly, report this to the trading standards service at your local authority.

Attachments:

• SFMTA_ALLERGENS_CONTROL_TEMPLATE_v6.xls

Attachments:

• Allergen_Policy.doc

Attachments:

• BRC_Guidance_on_Allergen_Labelling.pdf

Attachments:

• FSA_allergy-leaflet.pdf