 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 Peanut allergy
3. Tree nut allergy
4. Seafood allergy
5. Shellfish allergy
6. Soy allergy
7. 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.