Allergen guidance for food businesses (2023)

FAQs

How do you write a food allergy disclaimer? ›

The name of the food source of a major allergen must appear: In parentheses following the name of the ingredient. Immediately after or next to the list of ingredients in a "contains" statement. Example: "Contains Wheat, Milk, and Soy."

You must provide allergen information in writing if you sell or provide food to your customers directly. This could be either: full allergen information on a menu, chalkboard or in an information pack. a written notice placed in a clearly visible position explaining how your customers can obtain this information.

Food Labels and Allergens

The law requires that food labels identify the food source of all major food allergens used to make the food. This requirement is met if the common or usual name of an ingredient already identifies that allergen's food source name (for example, buttermilk).

Ingredients that contain allergens should be stored separately from non-allergen ingredients. Finished products containing that ingredient should also be isolated from other non-allergen products. Formatting production schedules to isolate products containing allergens is a common tactic in allergen management.

If a customer asks about allergens you must give them complete and accurate information; this is best achieved using an allergens file. An allergens file contains a breakdown of all the allergens that are present in every food item that you sell.

The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) mandates that packaged food items must declare, in plain language, the presence of any major food allergens on the product packaging.

Retail and food service operators should store allergen-containing ingredients in a manner to prevent or minimise the potential for allergen cross-contact e.g. store allergen-containing ingredients below those that do not contain allergens.

Food businesses must inform customers if any products they provide contain any of the 14 allergens as an ingredient. There are a number of ways in which allergen information can be provided to you. This can depend on the type of food you buy and the type of food business you order from.

Under Natasha's Law all prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food will be legally required to have clear ingredients and allergen labelling. The new labels must contain: The name of the food. A full list of ingredients.

Food manufacturers are required to list all ingredients in the food on the label. On a product label, the ingredients are listed in order of predominance, with the ingredients used in the greatest amount first, followed in descending order by those in smaller amounts.

Whose responsibility is to declare food allergies at a restaurant? ›

Restaurants are responsible for food allergies in some circumstances. The restaurant has a very high duty of care for its customers. They should be aware of common food allergies and help customers understand the ingredients in their products. However, negligence applies to consumers, too.

You have a legal obligation to provide information to consumers on the allergens that are in the food that you supply. These are the 14 allergens that you need to find out whether they are in the food that you make.

Your Allergen Control Plan is your company's written document regarding the storage, handling, processing, packaging, and identification of allergenic foods and ingredients. This is not a one-time effort. Your Allergen Control Plan must be implemented, audited, enforced and updated continually.

The allergen management program shall include the hazards associated with allergens and their control incorporated into the food safety plan. 1. The food safety plan must show the hazards (potential problems) associated with storage, movement, and use of allergens in the plant and how those hazards are controlled.

Dedication, separation, scheduling, and sanitation are key components of an allergen control plan in such situations. Of course, dedication of an entire facility or even an entire processing room is only possible in situations where large quantities of a product are manufactured.

If you are unsure of the customer's question, say so. Never guess…a wrong response could lead to a life-threatening allergic reaction. Write the customer's request clearly on the order docket and also talk to the kitchen staff about it.

The server should include the name of the guest with allergies on the order.

Providing allergen information – it's the law

Consumers have a legal right to receive written or verbal information on allergen content if they ask for it when buying food. This is a requirement of the Food Act 2001 and the Food Standards Code.

All food distance sellers should have clear food allergen labelling both before the point of sale and on delivery of the product.

Which allergen must be declared? ›

This law identified eight foods as major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. The FASTER Act, among other things, adds sesame to the list of major food allergens effective January 1, 2023, which will make it the ninth major food allergen recognized in the U.S.

Food Business Operators (FBOs) play the most critical role as they supply 'Food' to the consumers. Their primary responsibility is to ensure that Food being supplied is SAFE and NUTRITIOUS for human consumption as the food which is “not safe is not food “.

On the surface, the answer is rather simple: the owner or operator of a food business is responsible for food safety.

Principal Responsibility of Food Business Operators –FBO's are persons engaged in the food business. FBO's shall ensure that food satisfies the requirements of food law relevant to their activities in the food supply chain and that control systems are in place to prevent, eliminate or reduce risks to consumers.

The effectiveness of industry allergen control programs As illustrated by the recent spate of recalls, the food industry's response to allergen control has been less than completely successful and more needs to be done. The industry needs better testing regimens and adherence to properly developed cleaning protocols.

The purpose of the Act is to minimize risk of illness and death due to accidental ingestion of food allergens by increasing restaurant industry and consumer awareness of regulations and best practices with respect to major food allergens.

Being allergic to any specific food is a health condition, so people with food allergies need to be careful in selection of food for consumption. As the only way to prevent food allergic reactions is to avoid allergens, food industry plays an important role in protection of consumer health.

The rules - known as "Natasha's Law" - require full ingredient and allergen labelling on all food made on premises and pre-packed for direct sale. The change follows the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse from anaphylaxis after she ate sesame in a baguette.

Natasha's Law is there to protect people with food allergies who rely on the transparency of ingredients and food labelling for prepacked foods and it must have full compliance or lives will continually be put at risk.

For products which carry a label, this is especially important to ensure labelled products don't mislead the customer by containing an ingredient or allergen that is not listed. Staff should all have an awareness of allergens and there should be a kitchen culture of checking for allergens in the products they use.

Do companies have to disclose all ingredients? ›

Federal and state laws already require ingredient disclosure for food products, over-the-counter drugs, and cosmetics, without disastrous impacts to those industries.

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires packaged foods and dietary supplements to bear nutrition labeling unless they qualify for an exemption (A complete description of the requirements).

What is the restaurant's responsibility for food allergies? A restaurant has a legal responsibility to ensure your safety, provided you've warned staff of your allergy. If you suffer an allergic reaction from the food you are served, you may be able to sue the restaurant for negligence.

October 2021 Natasha's Law came into force, requiring all food businesses to provide full ingredients labelling on food that has been pre-packed for direct sale. The legislation is designed to better protect those with allergies and give them greater confidence in the food they buy.

Customers may have allergies to foods not contained in the EU list. However, it is only a legal requirement to indicate the presence of any of the 14 listed allergens when used as an ingredient in your food.

Allergens: Attention customers with food allergies. Please be aware that our food may contain or come into contact with common allergens, such as dairy, eggs, wheat, soybeans, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish or wheat.

The main objective of an allergen control plan (ACP) in a food production environment is to: Prevent cross-contact between allergens and non-allergenic food runs. Ensure label accuracy. Ensure adequate documentation.

The objective of allergen controls is to prevent and mitigate the risk of allergen cross-contact or contamination, and the risk of the presence of undeclared allergens in a final product.

What are the 4 main contamination sources? ›

There are four main types of contamination: chemical, microbial, physical, and allergenic.

Not all ingredients are listed. Please alert your server if you have any food allergies. Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical condition.

First, explain that certain foods can make them very sick. Use simple terms such as “safe food” and “unsafe food.” Next, teach them the names of unsafe foods and what they commonly look like. Point out gallons of milk, cartons of eggs or bags of peanuts in the grocery store.

Asking something in the lines of this is perfectly fine: "Are there any dietary restrictions I should be aware of?" "Please let me know by [day X] if there are any dietary restrictions, so I can prepare accordingly."

All the ingredients which make up a compound ingredient must be declared in the ingredient list, except when the compound ingredient is used in amounts of less than 5% of the final food.

If your host asks you for dietary information, don't be vague under pretense of “being polite.” Keep things simple, straightforward, and specific. Again, it's a good idea to take some food with you and to look up restaurants and grocery stores that can cater to your diet.

The only foods that have to be declared are those the FDA considers major food allergens: milk, wheat, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, crustacean shellfish, and soy, or ingredients that contain proteins from these foods.

How many allergens must be listed on a food label? ›

FALCPA requires that foods are labeled to identify the eight major food allergens. The eight major allergens are: milk, egg, fish, crustacean shell fish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soybeans. These 8 major food allergens identified by FALCPA account for over 90 percent of all documented food allergies in the U.S.

What should I do if a customer has an allergic reaction? Put the customer in a comfortable position and call 999, if they're experiencing a severe reaction, state that the individual is having an anaphylaxis allergic reaction. Keep the customer where they are, do not move them.

Allergy occurs when a person reacts to substances in the environment that are harmless to most people. These substances are known as allergens and are found in dust mites, pets, pollen, insects, ticks, moulds, foods and some medications. Atopy is the genetic tendency to develop allergic diseases.

A food sensitivity will not cause anaphylaxis, no matter how much of the offending food is consumed. Conversely, a food allergy triggers an immune system reaction, releasing antibodies (IgE) and causing the body to react as if to a threat — even small amounts may trigger serious or life-threatening reactions.

Thank the host/hostess for the invitation and give him/her the heads up about your allergies. At the very latest, you should let the host/hostess know about your dietary restrictions when you RSVP by the deadline. This gives them ample time to plan for your meal needs. Be specific in your explanation.

Mix a small amount of the new food in with your baby's usual food. If your baby doesn't have a reaction, you can gradually increase the amount next time. You can try a new allergy food each day — but remember to keep giving your baby the food once you have introduced it to their regular diet.