ALLERGENS

ALLERGENS

 Any food can cause an allergic reaction, with the symptoms varying according
to the severity of the allergy.
ALLERGIC CONDITIONS

 Coeliac disease (allergy to gluten)

 Irritable bowel syndrome (a gastrointestinal disorder, often resulting in food
intolerances),
 lactose intolerance (intolerance to a sugar found in certain dairy goods).
EU - LEGISLATION IDENTIFIES 14 FOODS.

 Nuts
 Wheat  Mustard
 Eggs  Lupine
 Peanuts  Fish
 Soya  Shellfish
 Milk  Celery
 Gluten  Sulphur Dioxide
 Sesame Seeds and Sulphites.
SYMPTOMS
• Stomach pain
• Skin rash
• Headache
• Fever
• Swollen tissue - especially the tongue,
• Sweating
throat and lips
• Blurred vision
• Tingling sensation
• Nausea
• Difficulty breathing/speaking
• Vomiting
ALLERGEN PRECAUTIONS

 Must be aware of everything that goes into food.

 Information about how products are made must be available.

 Ask questions about ingredients and cooking methods.
 The presence of certain allergens - such as peanuts, dairy and gluten - should
be clearly stated on a menu or product description.
 CROSS-CONTAMINATION MUST BE AVOIDED:

 when traces of allergens are passed on to other ingredients or dishes that

should not contain them. Just a small trace of an allergen can cause illness.

 Store high risk (allergenic) foods separately

 Always wash your hands before and after handling allergens
 Use separate utensils and equipment when processing allergens
 Clean and disinfect (sanitise) all work areas that have been used to prepare
allergenic foods.
PEOPLE

 A person with a severe allergy will normally take precautions, possibly

carrying vital information (often in the form of a bracelet, neck chain or,
increasingly, a smart phone app),
 Carry emergency medication (such as an ‘EpiPen’ adrenaline injection).
TAKE FOOD ALLERGY SERIOUSLY

 When working with food you must take food allergy seriously:
 A severe allergy could kill.
 Some allergic reactions can take hold within seconds, others may take several
hours.
 A severe reaction can cause a person to go into anaphylactic shock, which can
be life-threatening.