11 Tips to Accommodate Food-Allergic Guests

Published on We Are Chefs by Francine L. Shaw  |  May 3, 2017

A hot and important trend in foodservice is accommodating food-allergic guests. According to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), it’s estimated that an estimated 15 million Americans have food allergies.

This dish is beautiful but could be deadly for a guest with a food allergy.

The foods responsible for 90% of all allergic responses are known as The Big 8: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soybeans, wheat, fish, and shellfish. For this reason, food allergy training is slowly being implemented across the U.S., which is a positive thing for food-allergic customers, as well as the restaurants that serve them. Emphasize to your staff that if a food-allergic guest ingests even a trace amount of their food allergen, it can trigger a reaction, and in severe cases, even death.
Here’s some advice to make your restaurant safer for food-allergic guests:

Eggs are considered one

of The Big 8 food allergens.

Here’s some advice to make your restaurant safer for food-allergic guests:

• Communication with guests and staff is critical. Train your front-of-house staff to ask every guest about food allergies and clearly communicate the food allergy to the manager and chef. Kitchen staff should be in constant communication during cooking, plating and serving to prevent cross-contact.

• Create a separate workspace in the kitchen to prepare allergen-free/gluten-free meals. Make certain all work surfaces and equipment are properly cleaned and sanitized.

• Store common food allergens in a separate area of the kitchen.

• Utilize color-coded allergy tools to reduce the risk of cross-contact. Purple is the universal color for allergen-free kitchen utensils. Keep these tools clean, covered and stored away from flours, nuts and other common allergens.

Rubbermaid® Commercial Products’ (RCP) Color-Coded Foodservice
System earned the ACF Seal of Approval.

• Use separate fryers for foods that are common allergens.

• Provide accurate information by directing food-allergic guests’ questions to the manager or the head chef. Front-of-house staff should never guess about ingredients or preparation of a dish — this can be a matter of life and death.

• Be aware of multiple and complex allergies. Your team may have mastered cooking and serving a dairy-free or gluten-free meal, but they should also be able to expertly handle multiple and unusual allergies.

• Serve allergen-free/gluten-free meals on different-shaped or different-colored plates so they can be easily identified by servers and guests.

• Educate your entire staff about allergen “aliases” — for instance, whey and casein are dairy products, and semolina contains gluten.

• Modify dishes for food-allergic guests using different sauces, sides or other components to accommodate their special dietary restrictions.

• Train your team on food allergy protocols. There are numerous online classes, webinars, videos and live classes that can assist you with this endeavor.

In 2015, 16-year-old Scott Johnson died after eating two pancakes at a Minnesota diner. Allegedly, staff members confirmed that the flapjacks were dairy-free, and the cook even agreed to clean the grill before making them. There was a mistake somewhere in the diner’s protocol, and the teen accidentally ate dairy in his meal. Shortly after consuming the pancakes, Scott went into anaphylactic shock and died three days later.

Scott Johnson’s death shows why it is imperative that your staff know what ingredients are used in each menu item. One of the most important elements of proper food safety protocol is avoiding cross-contact, a relatively new term, in which proteins from foods containing an allergen are transferred to foods not containing that allergen. Make certain that your staff understands what cross-contact means and how to prevent it.

An example of cross-contact is chopping peanuts on a cutting board and then chopping salad greens on the same board. A peanut-allergic guest can have a reaction from eating the greens that came into contact with the peanuts during prep. Thermometers are also a common source of cross-contact because they are frequently inserted from one food item into another without being properly sanitized. I strongly recommend color-coded thermometers (and other equipment, as well) to designate allergy-friendly tools.

Many people also believe using hand sanitizer is an effective way to manage food allergens. This is not accurate. Experts have proven that antibacterial gels are not effective in removing food proteins. Changing gloves and washing hands with soap and water are two effective methods to eliminate allergen exposure.

It is vital that everyone on your team understands how to properly handle an order for guests with food allergies and intolerances. Consumers are increasingly seeking out establishments where they can dine worry-free, many of them driving an hour or more to eat safely. These establishments will earn brand loyalty increase profitability by catering to these diners.

Accommodating Food Allergies: Good for Business and Good for Your Customers!

By Francine L. Shaw CP-FS, CFSM, FSP, FMP   |   fsts.net
An EXCLUSIVE for Convenience Store News  |  Published January 2016

Individuals with food allergies must be properly accommodated across all spectrums of the food service industry. Approximately 230,000 hospitalizations and 200 deaths occur annually because food-allergic individuals accidentally ingested or inhaled their allergens. Make one tiny mistake with “just a trace” of an allergen, and someone could die, literally.

Recently, I was teaching food safety classes for a convenience store chain after they had rolled out barista-style coffee. At one point during class, we were discussing the new products and I discovered they offered a beverage containing soy milk. Later in the day, as we talked about food allergies, I used the soy milk as an example. I remember saying, “It’s great that you have signs with warnings that state: Soy products are served here; therefore, there could be potential contamination.” Everyone in the class looked at me like I was speaking a language they’d never heard. I then said, “You do have a warning statement, don’t you?” Slowly, everyone began to shake their heads no.

Having no signage about food allergens and possible contamination was the first of a series of problems, showing me that these employees were not properly trained to accommodate food-allergic customers. We discussed cleaning procedures for the mixers that were used for multiple beverages, including products with common allergens like peanut butter, dairy and soy, and the employees told me they were just being “spun” in water with sanitizer, not thoroughly cleaned with hot water and soap before being sanitized. Additionally, there was not an assigned mixer for allergen-free products only. This brand had big problems.

During the next break, I called the corporate office to inform them of these oversights. A few hours later, after class, I stopped into another one of their units on the way home. In the short time since I’d reported the problem to corporate, the stores had already posted temporary allergen warning signs. I also noticed that they had labeled the mixers for allergen and allergen-free products. This showed – without a doubt – how valuable an external set of eyes and ears can be. I was delighted to see that the convenience store chain was able to quickly fix their errors and start improving their food allergy protocols. The leadership team was ecstatic that these issues were caught (and resolved) prior to a tragedy.

I’ve had numerous conversations with individuals who (erroneously) believe that cooking oil gets hot enough to “kill the protein” that causes an allergic reaction. This is simply not true. Speaking of cooking oil, don’t use the same fryer or oil for French fries that you use for breaded products, fish or foods containing nuts, as doing so will cause cross-contact for people with gluten, fish or nut allergies. Allergen-free foods must be cooked in clean oil, using separate (clean) prep stations and equipment (cutting boards, knives, pans, etc.)

All food service establishments – including convenience stores – must have procedures in place to ensure safe experiences for food-allergic customers, and must train all employees to always follow these procedures. Here are a few tips to make your stores allergy-friendly:

• Create a separate workspace in your prep areas to prepare allergen-free products. Make certain you clean and sanitize all work surfaces and equipment.
• Utilize color coded allergy tools in your kitchens to reduce the risk of cross-contact. Purple is the universal color for allergen-free kitchen utensils. Keep these tools clean and covered.
• Identify allergen-free products with colored stickers (purple is the color of choice) so they can be easily identified.
• Make certain all dishware is properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized prior to reuse.
• Ensure that all employees know the ingredients in every component of every food they serve, including sauces, marinades, sandwich breads, etc. Train them to read and understand ingredient labels.
• Ensure that your employees know the “aliases” for common allergens – e.g., casein and whey are dairy, semolina is grain, etc.
• Communicate with your team, and train them on food allergy protocols. There are numerous webinars, videos, and live classes that can assist you with this endeavor. 

It’s critical that everyone on your staff understands the difference between cross-contact and cross-contamination:

• Cross-contact occurs when an allergen is inadvertently transferred from a food containing an allergen to a food that does not contain the allergen – such as chopping peanuts on a board and then chopping grilled chicken on that same board. The grilled chicken has come into contact with the peanuts, which could trigger an allergic reaction in a guest with peanut allergies. Cooking does not reduce or eliminate the risk of cross-contact.
• Cross-contamination is a common factor in the cause of foodborne illness. If you place raw chicken on a board, and then chop vegetables on that same board, you risk cross-contamination, spreading bacteria from the raw poultry onto the vegetables. Proper cooking of the contaminated food in most cases will reduce or eliminate the chances of a foodborne illness. 

The main difference between cross-contact and cross-contamination is that anyone can become ill from cross-contamination if they eat foods that have touched raw meats or poultry. Cross-contact is dangerous only for food-allergic guests, who may inadvertently ingest their allergens if proper care wasn’t taken during food prep.

Approximately 15 million Americans have food allergies, including 1 in 13 children. Food allergies among children increased approximately 50% between 1997 and 2011 and no one understands why. Recognized that 25% of people’s first allergic reactions happen outside the home. This issue isn’t going to go away any time soon. Train your staff to recognize the signs of an allergic reaction, and have plan in place in case one occurs at your store. A “small” mistake - such as standing someone up in the midst of an anaphylactic reaction - could be fatal. 

Everyone on your team should know how to handle an order for someone with food allergies. Consumers are seeking out establishments where they can eat worry free. These establishments will earn brand loyalty and, therefore, increase profitability. Wouldn’t it be nice to be recognized as the C-store that consumers with food allergies can eat with confidence?

So, What is Gluten?

Some people cannot eat gluten for medical reasons, but many people don’t eat it because they think it will make them gain weight, some fitness instructor told them not to or because everyone is talking about it. Ten years ago no one in the food industry was talking about it. Recently, Jimmy Kimmel did a segment asking “gluten-free” people at a popular exercise spot one simple question:

What is gluten? Sadly, not one person got it right. They had no idea what gluten is or why they should or should not be eating it. The truth is, unless there is a medical reason, you shouldn’t eliminate entire food groups from your diet. By definition:

Gluten: A substance present (protein) in grains – wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale, some oats and several other grains. It causes illness in people with Celiac Disease and gluten allergies.
There are major problems with the gluten-free movement, including a lack of education. For those with legitimate problems that go on a gluten-free diet, how it improves their health is life changing. They share the good news with friends and family - inadvertently giving them false hope that it will make them feel better too. Going gluten-free will not help you lose weight and will not make you feel better if your body is able to digest it. It isn’t uncommon to see someone that is on a “gluten-free diet” at the bar enjoying a beer – because they have no idea what gluten is. It’s difficult to find beer is that is not direct derivative of gluten!

On the flip side, the gluten-free fad has created a stigma in the food industry. When someone with a real illness or allergy comes into a restaurant, some servers don’t take it seriously when they mention gluten-free. They think it is a fad or the person is over dramatizing their situation. This is a huge problem because it IS serious. That person could be sick for days or weeks from minimal exposure to gluten (only 20 ppm* is enough to cause illness); and, the levels of illness can vary greatly from person to person.

Servers don’t understand that picking the croutons off the top of the salad isn’t enough. They don’t understand gluten-free pasta cannot be cooked in the same pot that was just used for regular pasta. This is why education is imperative! Don’t put your establishment in a libelous situation where someone could become very ill or die because your staff doesn’t understand the seriousness of celiac disease and food allergies. If your team isn’t properly trained, you could be held legally responsible if an incident occurs.

FSTS can help! Visit us at fsts.net/allergytraining to find a course designed for you.

*20 parts per million, comparable to one drop of food coloring in a gallon of water.

Food Allergies in Schools - Part 2 of the Allergy Series

As a growing food safety and public health concern, potentially life-threatening food allergies affect between 4% and 6% of children in the U.S. The ordeal goes beyond the child with the allergy, effecting their families, schools and early child education programs. Having a plan of action and communication between families and staff could help to prevent allergic reactions and prepare them to handle emergencies.

What is a food allergy?

When the body has a specific immune response to certain foods that can multiply, this can be defined as a food allergy. The immune response can be severe and life threatening, or even lead to anaphylaxis. Normally the immune system protects us from germs, however in those with food allergies it incorrectly responds as if the food was harmful.

Eight foods account for 90% of serious allergic reactions in the U.S.

Symptoms of Allergic Reactions in Children

While symptoms and severity of reactions to food can vary between individuals, they can also different for one person over time. If a child with food allergies is having a reaction, they may talk about the following symptoms:

•   It feels like something is poking my tongue.

•   My tongue (or mouth) is tingling (or burning).

•   My tongue (or mouth) itches.

•   My tongue feels like there is hair on it.

•   My mouth feels funny.

•   There’s a frog in my throat; there’s something stuck in my throat.

•   My tongue feels full (or heavy).

•   My lips feel tight.

•   It feels like there are bugs in there (to describe itchy ears).

•   It (my throat) feels thick

•   It feels like a bump is on the back of my tongue (throat).

Treatment and Prevention of Food Allergies in Children

Unfortunately, there is no cure for food allergies. The only way to avoid symptoms or an emergency is to avoid the allergen. While it is not always easy to avoid certain foods, school and ECE programs should have a plan of action in place to handle allergic reactions and anaphylaxis. Early and fast recognition of allergic reactions that may lead to anaphylaxis can prevent a tragedy.

Voluntary Guideline for Managing Food Allergies in Schools and Early Care and Education Programs

In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education and federal agencies, CDC developed guidelines for managing food allergies in schools and early care and education centers. This provides information and planning steps for parents, district administrators, school administrators and staff.