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 and, in some cases, death.
 Sometimes, when a reaction to a food occurs

that does not involve the body’s immune
system, it is called food intolerance.
 This is not a food allergy though these

symptoms can look and feel like those of a
food allergy. Food intolerance stems from
problems with digestion or metabolism. While
food intolerance can be unpleasant, it’s rarely
dangerous.
 “ Three – quarter of deaths from food allergies
involve food prepared in restaurants, cafes and
other commercial outlets, say experts “.
Source : Eating Out Poses Allergy Risk, BBC
News.
 Food allergens are proteins within the food that

enter your bloodstream after the food is digested.
From there, they go to target organs, such as
your skin or nose, and cause allergic reactions.
 An allergic reaction to food can take place within

a few minutes to two hours. The process of
eating and digesting food affect the timing and
the location of a reaction.
 Mild
Respiratory Tract : Itchy, watery eyes, running or stuffy

nose, sneezing, coughing, itching or swelling of the lips,
wheezing.
Gastro Intestinal Tract : Abdominal cramps, nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea.
Skin : Hives, eczema, itchy red rash, swelling.
 Severe
Respiratory : Short of breath, difficulty swallowing, chest

tightness, tingling of the mouth, itching or swelling of the
mouth, change in voice.
Cardiovascular: Drop in blood pressure, loss of
consciousness/fainting, shock.
There is no cure for food allergy – complete and strict

avoidance is the only way to prevent a reaction.
All food can potentially cause allergic reactions,
but certain foods are most commonly associated
with food allergies. The most common food
allergies are :
1. Milk allergy
2. Egg allergy
3. Peanut allergy
4. Tree nut allergy
5. Seafood allergy
6. Shellfish allergy
7. Soy allergy
8. Wheat allergy
These are often referred to as “ THE BIG EIGHT “.
They account for over 90 % of the food allergies
 Consumers not reading label properly.
 Inaccurate labeling ( from the company ).
 Contamination from other foods from
improperly cleaned utensils and table
surfaces.
 The same food can cause different symptoms
from one person to another.
It is important to know what to do if you serve

a customer who has a food allergy, because
these allergies can be life threatening.
Allergy Notification Steps :
All colleagues must know to forward any guest allergy
information to the following individuals :
 Outlet Manager / Assistant
 Manager on Duty ( if after hours )
 Sous Chef
 Executive Chef ( depending on day / time )
 The Outlet Manager / MOD and the Sous Chef or
Executive Chef will then speak to the guest o
acknowledge that their allergy information has been
expedited to the appropriate individuals.
All allergy notifications are to be noted in the respective

daily entry of specific outlet’s outlet log book and should
identify :
 What the allergy was
 Who was advised
 Who spoke to the individual
Precaution to take :
When you are having your food training,

you need to consider what you used :
To cook the dish
To thicken the sauce
As a topping or garnish
In a salad dressing
If a customer claims to have a life –
threatening food allergy (anaphylaxis),
take the customer seriously.
 If there is any doubt about whether a food free of a certain
ingredients, such as nuts, admit to the customer that you
are unsure.
 Never guess whether an ingredient is in a dish or not. Check

with the kitchen staff every time someone asks for a meal
that doesn’t contain a certain food.
 Don’t remove the food, that someone is allergic to, from a

dish that has already been prepared.
 Make sure that kitchen staffs always tell serving staff about
any recipe changes (or substitute), particularly if foods that
can cause severe allergic reactions are not being used in a
dish.
 When you have been asked to prepare a meal that doesn’t

contain a certain food, always use separate serving utensils.
Three Principals of Allergy Control :
 ELIMINATE
If you don’t need to use a major allergen, then
don’t use it.
 MINIMIZE
Be aware when using food allergen, keep it
tightly controlled and segregated. Thoroughly
clean every surface it touches.
 COMMUNICATE
Ensure your allergic guests know when a major
allergen is used as an ingredient and is able to
avoid all contact with the allergen concerned.

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 Food allergy is an abnormal response to a

food triggered by the body’s immune system.

 Allergic reactions to food can cause serious

 Sometimes, when a reaction to a food occurs

 This is not a food allergy though these

 Food allergens are proteins within the food that

 An allergic reaction to food can take place within

Respiratory Tract : Itchy, watery eyes, running or stuffy

Respiratory : Short of breath, difficulty swallowing, chest

There is no cure for food allergy – complete and strict

It is important to know what to do if you serve

All allergy notifications are to be noted in the respective

When you are having your food training,

 Never guess whether an ingredient is in a dish or not. Check

 Don’t remove the food, that someone is allergic to, from a

 When you have been asked to prepare a meal that doesn’t

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