FOOD ALLERGENS

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FOOD ALLERGENS

• Sheila R. Cohn, RD
• Manager, Nutrition Policy
• Joint Fall Educational Conference
• October 18, 2002
• scohn_at_dineout.org

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Restaurant Industry 2002

• Sales..408 Billion
• Locations..858,000
• Employees11.6 Million
• Share of Food ......46.1
• Meals..54 Billion
• Typical Person.4.2 meals / wk

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Food Allergies

• Scientists estimate that between 2 and 2.5
  percent of (11 million) Americans suffer from
  true food allergies
• 150-200 people die each year from food- allergic
  reactions
• No Cure
• Avoidance is the only way to prevent an allergic
  reaction

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What is a Food Allergy?

• A food allergy is an immune system response to a
  food that the body mistakenly believes is
  harmful. Once the immune system decides that a
  particular food is harmful, it creates specific
  antibodies to fight it.

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What Foods Cause Food Allergies?

• Peanuts Fish
• Tree nuts (walnuts, pecans, Shellfish
• almonds, cashews, hazelnuts/ Milk
• filberts, macadamia nuts, Soy
• pistacio nuts, etc) Wheat
• Eggs

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What are the symptoms of an allergic reaction?

• Respiratory Tract
• swelling of the throat or mouth difficulty
  breathing stuffy nose itchy, watery eyes runny
  nose wheezing and repetitive coughing
• Gastrointestinal Tract
• abdominal cramps, vomiting,diarrhea
• Skin
• hives, eczema, swelling of lips and face,
  itching

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What is Anaphylaxis?

• Severe or life-threatening reactions are called
  anaphylaxis. Symptoms can include all of those
  previously noted, plus
• Cardiovascular System
• drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness,
  death

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Treatment of a Reaction

• Mild reactions are usually treated with
  antihistimine
• The medication of choice for controlling a severe
  or anaphylactic reaction is epinephrine, also
  called adrenaline

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Who is At Risk?

• Approximately 11 million Americans, or 2 to 2.5
  percent of the general population, suffer from
  food allergy
• A recent study shows that 1.1 percent, or close
  to three million Americans, are believed to be
  allergic to peanuts or tree nuts (pecans,
  walnuts, almonds, etc.)

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How can an allergic reaction be avoided?

• Strict avoidance is the only way to avoid a
  reaction.
• Reading ingredient labels for all foods is the
  key to maintaining control over the allergy.

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Some Important Things to Remember

• Common foods made up of various ingredients can
  contain allergens
• Common foods often have scientific and technical
  terms

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Are Cooking Oils Safe for Food Allergic Guests?

• Studies have shown that highly refined peanut oil
  and soy oil have been safely fed to individuals
  who are allergic to those foods
• Cold-pressed, expelled, or extruded oils
  (sometimes represented as gourmet oils) from
  foods such as peanuts, sesame, or walnuts contain
  protein and therefore, are not safe for someone
  with an allergy to those foods

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What do food-allergic individuals need from a
foodservice establishment?
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RISK MANAGEMENT

• Understand the basics
• Restaurants must reveal ingredients
• Every staff member must be taught how to handle
  food allergic guests
• When a guest identifies him or herself as food
  allergic, activate restaurants policy
• If a customer is having an allergic reaction, get
  medical help immediately!

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Summary of how a food allergy order may travel
through the restaurant

• Notify manager of the food allergic diner
• Manager talks with diner to get information about
  the diners needs, helps with menu suggestions,
  and communicates with chef.
• Chef checks ingredients
• Kitchen staff prepares food using these
  precautions
• Wash hands/put on gloves
• Use clean pans, knives, utensils, and work
  surfaces
• Garnish with fresh ingredients
• Manager, server, or chef hand-carries plate
  separately from rest of tables order
• Server checks with diner immediately to be sure
  everything is satisfactory

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THE MANAGER

• The manager should be the point person for
  food-allergy questions
• The manager should set up food allergy procedures
  for the staff
• Procedures should clearly define how to handle
  menu selection, meal preparation, and serving
  methods
• Written instructions for handling an allergic
  reaction must be developed
• Food allergy training must be reviewed
  periodically

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Front of the House

• Food allergies are allergic disorders, not food
  preferences. Be understanding, listen carefully,
  and answer questions thoughtfully
• Food-allergic guests depend on the front of the
  house staff to notify other key staff members of
  their dietary restrictions
• Improper garnishing or handling can contaminate
  an otherwise safe meal
• If a mistake occurs with the special order, the
  only acceptable method for correcting the
  situation is to have the kitchen remake the order

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Back of the House

• Inform food-allergic guests of any ingredients
  used in unexpected places
• If a food does not have a label or if you are
  unsure about the ingredients, do not guess
• Take precautions to avoid cross-contamination
• If a mistake is made on an order, make anew one

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CROSS CONTAMINATION

• Unclean hands or gloves
• Shared equipment, utensils, grills, fryers,
  cooking areas, and counters
• Refilled serving containers
• Garnishes
• Splatter or steam from cooking foods
• Deep Fryers

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SUMMARY

• Activate procedure for handling special requests
• Listen to the diner CAREFULLY
• Notify the manager, chef, or designated person
• Answer questions honestly and accurately
• If you dont know, say so do not guess about
  ingredients
• Check ingredients again before serving
• Use care to avoid cross-contamination
• If someone has an allergic reaction, get help
  (911, ambulance) immediately!

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FOOD ALLERGENS

• Sheila R. Cohn, RD
• Manager, Nutrition Policy
• National Restaurant Association
• scohn_at_dineout.org
• www.restaurant.org