Why Allergen Training is Important to You!

Most customers are very concerned about food safety, but none more so than people living with food allergies.

Food allergy is a growing public health concern in Canada. Currently approximately 2.5 million Canadians have self reported at least one food allergy, representing about 7% of Canadians. With this many Canadians affected from some sort of food allergy or intolerance, production, foodservice and food retail industries cannot afford to take a back seat when it comes to food allergen training and allergen management.

With food allergies affecting up to 6% of young children in North America parents want to be sure they are purchasing safe food whenever they dine out or purchase food. Restaurant meals can be more risky than pre-packaged food, especially if ingredients aren’t listed or readily known by the serving staff. Parents are continuously on guard to protect their children from accidental exposure. Those living with food allergies, must be diligent and take precautionary measures – especially since the most severe form of reaction – anaphylaxis – can prove to be fatal. Fortunately, these outcomes are rare and are avoidable.

Manufacturers of pre-packaged food must put mechanisms in place to ensure pre-packed foods accurately declare all food allergen ingredients – and derivative parts – on the package. Manufacturers must provide a complete ingredient list for prepared food. They must use commonly understood words for common food allergens. However, prepared foods for restaurants, bakeries, deli or catering operations are not under the same obligations for anything prepared on the same premises.

Foodservice and food distribution industries must be properly equipped with the knowledge, policies and protocols to respond to customers with special dietary requests. As a food safety trainer, I have learned of many tragic and sometimes fatal food allergen incidents which could have been avoided if proper training and protocols had been put in place.

In 2011, a court in Saskatchewan found a restaurant owner and the server both responsible for providing a ‘duty of care’ when serving consumers who told them about their food allergies. The ruling pointed out that the restaurant was responsible for providing correct ingredient information to allergic customers, and that it must make sure that staff have access to this information.

As the percentage of Canadians with allergies increases, the need for more stringent training and protocols increases accordingly. From food manufacturing and food processing, right through to foodservice and food retail we must we must all do our part to keep food safe for our customers.

Food allergen training lays the base foundation for management to develop a food allergen program. By developing an allergen plan specific to your business you can protect your customers and make sure you food establishment maintains its good reputation. By being careful, you cut down the risk of someone getting sick. Not only do you protect the customer, but they’ll likely be back for repeat business because of your sensitivity to their food allergen needs and your great customer service.

Margaret Spence Krewen

Corporate Trainer and Educational Supervisor, TrainCan, Inc. can be reached at [email protected]