1

Food AllergyEileen

Steinbock

2

Agenda

• What information do caterers need• What information is available to caterers• How should caterers present the

information

3

How do we manage allergens

• Cereals containing gluten• Crustaceans• Eggs• Fish• Peanuts• Soybeans• Milk• Nuts

– Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecan, Brazil nuts, pistachio, macadamia

• Celery• Mustard• Sesame• Sulphur Dioxide• Lupin• Molluscs

• 14 allergens listed in EU regulations

• Allergen policy – Do not introduce new allergen

to existing product

• Allergen risk assessment for each product

• Allergen section in main specification

4

What information do caterers need

• Food information for consumers regulation

• Comes into force December 2014

• Caterers will need to have allergen information for everything they serve

5

Where will caterers find this information

• Food information for consumers regulation – Requires allergens to be included in the

ingredient list– The name of the allergen must be emphasised

in the ingredient list– Information to be available at the point of

purchase• List on-line• Product advice sheets

6

7

Front of House Products

• Wrapped so will have allergens on the packaging

• Caterer does not need to do anything more

• Typical example (in progress)

8

9

Back of House Product

• Product ready made which caterer cooks or prepares

• Product which is included in another recipe or dish

• Record the allergens• Record dishes and menus items using the

product• Tends towards some standard recipes in

bigger operations

10

11

Where will caterers find this information

• Contains lists

– Long lists– Best if can manipulate spreadsheets– Match to approved buying lists– Inclusion in recipe analysis systems

– Must be kept up to date

12

How will caterers provide this information

• Must be available– Back of house manual– Website– Access to central database of recipes

• Provision– Notice in restaurant– On the menu– Verbal communication with customer

13

Contains or Free from

• Legally must present contains• Does not contain does not mean ‘free

from’• Thresholds for gluten• No thresholds for other allergens

• Gluten presents anomalies

14

15

The way forward

• Understand the 14 allergen list• Collect allergen information about all your

prepared products• Collect recipes• Collect menu ideas (recipes and

accompaniments)• Build your own allergen data bank• Have a protocol for keeping this up to date

• Do this before December 2014!