Food Allergy Guideline: Ways to Prevent Allergy Issues in the Food Business

Owning a food business is one thing, and running it the right way is another. Imagine a customer eating food prepared in your restaurant and having issues like difficulty breathing, vomiting, or fainting. Such a scene can ruin your restaurant’s image, create chaos, and even face a lawsuit. This is not a situation you want to meet. Protecting your customers and minding their well-being is crucial to implementing food safety measures, including allergy guidelines and awareness. Preventing allergic reactions is the responsibility of the restaurant and the consumer. Therefore, there are several things you can do as a business to avoid allergy issues that could ruin your business’ reputation. Here is what to do.

Know the Source of Your Food Products

Food intolerance and allergies seem to increase, making it crucial for restaurants to be careful about what they serve their guests. That means there is a need to know about the sources of allergies. Most people are usually allergic to foods like wheat, fish, egg, milk, shellfish, peanut, soybeans, etc. Even traces of such in other foods can lead to severe allergic reactions. Therefore, it is advisable to have food tests for quality using QPCR Probes and to identify nutrition and DNA components. Once you know your food’s quality, source, and components, it is easier to serve safe food to your customers.

Train Your Staff

It is mandatory to train your staff on how to handle allergic foods and prevent allergic reactions. You must also teach them how to act should a reaction occurs. So, start by clarifying myths surrounding allergic foods. For instance, explain that heating food with allergens does not destroy the allergens. Ensure your training also includes information about the eight big allergens and the unnamed foods that contain allergens. Teach your staff how to recognize common symptoms of allergic reactions like swelling, redness, and nausea. Ensure they also recognize signs of anaphylactic shock and call 911.

Provide Warnings

It is not required by the law to provide allergy warnings in your food business. Giving allergy warnings or a list of ingredients on your packages is also not compulsory. However, if you are in the takeaway business where customers can buy food to eat from home, it is a must that you have allergy warnings on the package. Lawsuits and accidents can occur, putting you at risk. You need to do everything in your power to protect your customers. So, develop an allergy statement that warns eaters about the presence of allergens. You should also create an allergen list in the menu. Creating a special menu for customers with allergies can also be a good idea.

Establish Front-House and Back-House Communication

Front-house and back-house communication is imperative to preventing allergy issues in the business. The way you communicate with the customers is vital regarding food allergies. Ensure your service staff can communicate with your visitors about food allergies so they can avoid buffets or specific utensils. It is also essential to communicate with your food preparation staff about the foods and the best ways to prevent contamination.

Key Takeaways

It is essential to be cautious when serving food to your guests. Train your staff to communicate with customers and adequately handle food to prevent contamination. It is also crucial to maintain food quality and employ seamless communication.