Most Common Allergens and Methods For Preventing Allergic Reactions

MOST COMMON
ALLERGENS AND
METHODS FOR
PREVENTING ALLERGIC
REACTIONS
What is food allergy?
Food allergy is an abnormal
response to a food triggered
by the body’s immune system.
Allergic reactions to food can
cause serious illness or even
death.
Food allergies and reactions can be confusing.
Often, it's not easy to figure out which foods contain
ingredients that may trigger a reaction. Further,
many people who think they are allergic to a food
may actually be confusing a food reaction for
an allergy and may not need to eliminate certain
foods. A food allergy is a predictable reaction to a
specific food or food group. An allergy is caused by
an immune reaction to the protein in a food, which
brings about a sudden release of chemicals that
cause the symptoms.
Eight foods account for 90% of all food allergy
reactions: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy,
wheat, shellfish, and fish.
In older children and adults, fish, peanuts,

shellfish, and tree nuts are the most common
allergies. These allergies are also considered
the most serious, because they can be life-
threatening.
Become familiar with all the food terms for your
specific allergy. For example, if you are allergic to
milk protein, you need to avoid all foods made from
milk, including cheese, yogurt, half-and-half, and
cream. Avoid all foods that contain whey, casein,
caseinate, nonfat milk solids, lactoglobulin, cow's
milk protein, nougat, curds, sodium caseinate, or
lactalbumin. Look carefully at butter, margarine, ice
cream, cakes, puddings, sorbet, breads, soups,
vegetables with sauces and more.
People with allergies would
benefit from a diet that is less
processed and closer to natural
foods, because there are fewer
additives in these foods that could
cause problems.
At this time, there are no medications that cure
food allergies. The most important treatment is the
elimination of the allergy-causing food. Careful
reading of ingredient labels is essential to avoiding
all foods with the allergy-causing ingredient. For
example, milk may be listed by its components
casein or whey, and eggs can be labeled as albumin.
If you have an allergy to a certain food, you must
become familiar with all related ingredients that
could potentially cause a reaction. A good rule of
thumb is, when in doubt, don't eat it.
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
THAT REGULATE THE
RESTAURANT AND FOOD
INDUSTRY
1. Food and Drug Administration
Regulates and ensures the safety and
accurate labeling for:
food products (excluding meat and
poultry)
bottled water
dietary supplements
food additives
infant formula
2. USDA Food Safety and Inspection
Service (FSIS)
Regulates aspects of the safety and
labeling of traditional (non-game) meats,
poultry, and certain egg products.
3. NOAA Seafood Inspection Program
Provides inspection services for fish,
shellfish, and fishery products to the
industry. The NOAA Seafood Inspection
Program is often referred to as the U.S.
Department of Commerce (USDC) Seafood
Inspection Program.
4. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)
Ensures the safety of drinking water
Regulates the use of pesticides which
can contaminate drinking water and/or
leave pesticide residue on food.
5. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Responsible for ensuring accurate and truthful
advertising on consumer products, including
food.
6. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Finds links between illness in people and the
food safety systems of government agencies and
food producers.
PERSONAL
BEHAVIORS THAT CAN
CONTAMINATE FOOD
FOOD SAFETY
PERSONAL HYGIENE
Personal hygiene
 Personalhygiene is the basic concept of cleaning,
grooming and caring for our bodies.
 Itis very important to have good personal hygiene

in food service because it prevents the spread of
foodborne illness.
Let’s take a look at
Personal Hygiene before you come to work:

- Don’t alter or modify your uniform;
- Ensure that your uniform fits properly;
- Put on clean clothes;
- If you are sick, use sick leave.
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Skin lesions
Let’s take a look at
Personal Hygiene while at work:

- Store your personal items such as
wallets, purses and jewelry;
- Always wash your hands when necessary.
 Wash hands before applying sanitary gloves.
 Do not blow into gloves to put them on.
 Discard in trash if torn, soiled or if an interruption in
operation occurs.
 Wash hands after removing gloves.
 It is always important to have gloves that fit properly.
 Replace damaged gloves as needed.
Fingernails
Keep fingernails trimmed, filed and
maintained so edges and surfaces are
clean and smooth.
No fingernail polish
No artificial nails.
Jewelry
No jewelry on hands or
arms, except plain
wedding bands.
No watches or bracelets.
Hair Restraints
 Always wear effective hair restraints while in the food
prep area (hats, hair covering or net, beard restraints,
clothing that covers body hair, etc.)
Eating, Drinking, and Tobacco Products
This should occur only in designated areas.
Wash hands before returning to work.
Exception- closed beverage containers with a
lid and straw are allowable if handled so to
prevent contamination of employee’s hands,
exposed food, equipment, utensils, linens and
single service articles.
Hand washing
Hand-washing is essential to
good personal hygiene.
Where to Wash Hands
 Use the hand washing sink only!
 These sinks will be provided with hand cleansers
and hand drying supplies.
 DO NOT wash your hands in food prep sinks,
utensil sinks, service sinks or mop sinks.
Signage is important!
This is an example of signage that can be
displayed by hand washing sink.
When to wash hands:
 Before beginning work.
 When changing tasks.
 When soiled or contaminated.
 Before putting on gloves.
 When switching between raw & ready-to-eat food
prep.
After handling soiled equipment or utensils.
After using the restroom.
After coughing, sneezing, using a tissue,
using tobacco products, eating or drinking.
After engaging in other activities that could
contaminate the hands.
Hand Washing Procedure
 Lather hands and exposed parts of the arm.
 Vigorously rub hands together for at least 20 seconds.
Pay particular attention to area underneath fingernails
and between fingers.
 Rinse with clean water.
 Drythoroughly with a single use paper towel or hand
drying device.
Hand sanitizer is NOT an
appropriate substitute for
hand washing!
Proper hand washing is a highly
effective and simple way to
prevent the spread of germs thus
keeping students safe.

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MOST COMMON

In older children and adults, fish, peanuts,

6. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

 Itis very important to have good personal hygiene

Personal Hygiene before you come to work:

Personal Hygiene while at work:

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