Food allergens and symptoms

Food allergens

A food allergen is a protein in a food or ingredient that some people are sensitive to. It occurs naturally.

How to avoid cross-contact

Check ingredients in recipes that no allergen is present. Wash, rinse, and sanitize cookware, utensils, equipment before prepping food. Make sure the allergen does not touch anything for customers with food allergies including food, beverages, utensils, equipment, and gloves.

Kitchen staff preventing cross-contact

Cooking different types of food in the same fryer oil can cause cross-contact. Letting food touch surfaces, equipment, or utensils that have touched allergens.

Preventing allergic reactions

Fifteen million americans have a food allergy and allergic reactions result in 200,000 emergency room visits every year.

Food labels

Food labels on the products you purchase are important tool to identify allergens in the operation. Federal law requires manufactured products containing one or more of the Big Eight allergens to clearly identify them on the ingredient label.

Common food allergens

Milk, eggs, fish such as bass flounder, and cod, wheat, soy, peanuts, crustacean shellfish such as crab, lobster, shrimp, tree nuts, such as walnuts and pecans.

Signs of a allergic reaction

Nausea. Wheezing or shortness of breath. Hives or itchy rashes. Swelling of various parts of body like face, eyes, hands, feet. Vomiting and or diarrhea. Abdominal pain.

Service staff

Staff should be trained to answer any question about the menu. And if a customer says they have a food allergy to take it seriously NO secret ingredients. Identify the dishes. Identify the ingredients. Suggest items that do not contain allergens. Identify the allergen special order. Tell the kitchen there is a special order someone with allergies.

Allergic reactions

When enough of an allergen is eaten, the immune system mistakenly considers it harmful and attacks the food protein.