Food Allergy Awareness Week – 20th – 25th April
A topic we constantly need to be hot on in the food and drink industry, Food Allergy Awareness Week is a great time to review your menus and test your teams, to make sure you’re all on top of your responsibilities regarding food allergens when it comes to safe foodservice.
With 14 major allergens which should be mentioned on food labelling, providing a one-size fits all approach in professional kitchens is impossible, especially when you are working to a strict budget or with reduced staff. So, keeping things simple while still having enough variety on your menu - as well as being aware of cross-contamination risks - are all key to success.
With 14 major allergens which should be mentioned on food labelling, providing a one-size fits all approach in professional kitchens is impossible, especially when you are working to a strict budget or with reduced staff. So, keeping things simple while still having enough variety on your menu - as well as being aware of cross-contamination risks - are all key to success.
Vegan does not mean allergy free
General awareness of food allergens is improving all the time, thanks in part to campaigns like Natasha’s Law, but there can sometimes be a misunderstanding that vegan dishes are automatically a quick win for allergy sufferers, especially when scanning a menu in a hurry.
Although vegan and plant-based dishes cut out dairy, eggs, shellfish and fish (while also appealing to a growing market), they can often contain high amounts of soy, nuts or gluten, which are all common food allergens. So, educating your team and pre-planning options to suit all is the best way to avoid this.
Striking a balance is key and crafting tasty, reliable vegan dishes as well as suitable gluten-free dishes for individuals suffering from coeliac disease - while not relying too heavily on soy and nuts - gives operators a great deal of food for thought when crafting appealing allergy-free dishes.
To recap, the eight most common food allergens in the UK are: cow’s milk (dairy), eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, wheat (cereals containing gluten, which includes oats), soy and fish.
The less-common allergens are: celery (including celeriac), mustard, sesame seeds, lupin, crustaceans, molluscs and sulphar dioxide / sulphites.
Although vegan and plant-based dishes cut out dairy, eggs, shellfish and fish (while also appealing to a growing market), they can often contain high amounts of soy, nuts or gluten, which are all common food allergens. So, educating your team and pre-planning options to suit all is the best way to avoid this.
Striking a balance is key and crafting tasty, reliable vegan dishes as well as suitable gluten-free dishes for individuals suffering from coeliac disease - while not relying too heavily on soy and nuts - gives operators a great deal of food for thought when crafting appealing allergy-free dishes.
To recap, the eight most common food allergens in the UK are: cow’s milk (dairy), eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, wheat (cereals containing gluten, which includes oats), soy and fish.
The less-common allergens are: celery (including celeriac), mustard, sesame seeds, lupin, crustaceans, molluscs and sulphar dioxide / sulphites.
Solutions to try
Fish and nuts. Fish, shellfish and nuts are often the most obvious allergens and easiest to navigate, but it is worth double checking any sauces on your menus to make sure they don't contain traces of these allergens.
Also, always be mindful of cross contamination - down to how you store these allergens and in particular how you cook and/or fry fish and shellfish products.
Secret soy. When it comes to soy, can you experiment with soy-free protein alternatives such as Quorn or products featuring pea protein?
Soy is present in more foods than you might think and can be used in many different forms, such as edamame beans, tofu and soya milk as well as the main protein in many vegan products. It can also be used in small amounts in products like bread, cereal bars and chocolate, so it's one to look out for.
Getting around gluten. Can you use more gluten-free flours, pastas and ready-made products on your menus as standard?
This will provide more choice and help you to be prepared for someone who can't eat gluten. Opting for a gluten-free gravy, for example, could replace your regular gravy to cut down on the number of products you need to buy and stock in your kitchen. Browse our gluten-free range here.
Dairy and eggs. Dairy is much easier to work around than it was just a few years ago due to the rise in plant-based alternatives, especially in desserts, and similarly egg-replacements and alternatives are also much more accessible.
However, many dairy alternatives often present another allergen, such as soy or nuts, so keep that in mind if you choose to exclude dairy on your menu.
For the most up-to-date information on allergens from the Food Standards Agency, click here.
Also, always be mindful of cross contamination - down to how you store these allergens and in particular how you cook and/or fry fish and shellfish products.
Secret soy. When it comes to soy, can you experiment with soy-free protein alternatives such as Quorn or products featuring pea protein?
Soy is present in more foods than you might think and can be used in many different forms, such as edamame beans, tofu and soya milk as well as the main protein in many vegan products. It can also be used in small amounts in products like bread, cereal bars and chocolate, so it's one to look out for.
Getting around gluten. Can you use more gluten-free flours, pastas and ready-made products on your menus as standard?
This will provide more choice and help you to be prepared for someone who can't eat gluten. Opting for a gluten-free gravy, for example, could replace your regular gravy to cut down on the number of products you need to buy and stock in your kitchen. Browse our gluten-free range here.
Dairy and eggs. Dairy is much easier to work around than it was just a few years ago due to the rise in plant-based alternatives, especially in desserts, and similarly egg-replacements and alternatives are also much more accessible.
However, many dairy alternatives often present another allergen, such as soy or nuts, so keep that in mind if you choose to exclude dairy on your menu.
For the most up-to-date information on allergens from the Food Standards Agency, click here.
Top tips for handling food allergens
- Make sure your staff are aware of food allergens and take processes seriously, especially when updating menus or recipes
- Trouble shoot in advance how you could accommodate specific allergies without putting too much pressure on your kitchen teams
- Store allergens separately and make sure they are clearly labelled
- Be extremely diligent with hygiene when preparing food for someone with a food allergy, including using clean utensils and a clean workspace
- Make sure staff are familiar with all allergens on your menu and direct enquiries to the right team member
