Hidden / unrecognised allergens

Most people who die from food allergy have actually eaten an allergenic food that was present as an intended ingredient. They didn’t know the ingredient was present and neither, in some cases, did the waiting staff.

Examples include:
• a curry from a takeaway with hidden peanut flour in the sauce
• a sandwich containing Coronation Chicken mix which can contain peanuts or other nuts
• an apple pie containing very low levels of milk protein added deliberately by the manufacturer

One thing which will help is the new EU food labelling regulations, which require suppliers to list the 14 major allergens.

Ensure you have ready access to the correct ingredients for each dish or item you serve. Here are some practical tips:

• Keep recipes and ingredients on a computer.

• Keep a binder of delivery notes and product information

• Create a specific document that highlights which of your dishes contain major allergens.

This document could be shown to allergic customers alongside the menu.

• Rename menu items to highlight hidden ingredients: e.g strawbery and almond tart.

• Create menu options that may be ordered without certain ingredients. E.g. Steak salad with blue cheese dressing (if you have a milk allergy order without the dressing)

Remember:

If you want to offer a menu item which is free from nuts you must ensure there are NO NUTS in any of the following:
• the ingredients
• the compound ingredients
• Any processing aids used to create or prepare the dish (e.g. a chopping board which has been used for other foods)