Members
cart Shopping Cart    You have 0 items    Checkout
Food industry > restaurants and food service

food allergy in restaurants and food service


Customers may ask for ingredient information for a variety of reasons such as weight loss, preference or due to adverse reactions to foods. Adverse reactions can be caused by a variety of conditions, one of which is food allergy.

Food allergy is an immune system response to a food protein. Antibodies are present in the person’s body which react to the protein causing chemicals such as histamine, to be released into the body when exposed.

Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Reactions can occur from within minutes up until about two hours after eating the offending food.

Symptoms can include:
  • Skin: hives, itching, eczema, swelling of the face and lips
  • Respiratory tract: swelling of the tongue, throat, mouth; difficulty breathing, wheeze, cough; stuffy nose; itchy, watery eyes
  • Gastrointestinal tract: vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain / cramping
  • Cardiovascular: drop in blood pressure; loss of consciousness, death

Severe or life-threatening reactions are called anaphylaxis.

The most common food allergens are:

  • Egg
  • Milk (dairy)
  • Peanuts
  • Tree Nuts (e.g. almond, cashew, pistachio, pine nut, brazil, hazelnut, etc)
  • Soy
  • Wheat
  • Fish
  • Shellfish
Note that almost any food can cause an allergic reaction in some people.

Food intolerance is not triggered by the immune system and is generally non life-threatening. It may affect the digestion and common symptoms include digestive discomfort, diarrhoea and bloating.

Coeliac disease is not an allergy, but does involve an immune system response to food containing gluten. For further information see www.coeliac.org.nz


Treatment of allergic reactions


Mild reactions are usually treated with antihistamine. Antihistamines will not prevent anaphylaxis occurring, and restaurant staff may never be aware that a mild reaction has occurred.

People at risk of anaphylaxis will normally be prescribed an injection of adrenaline, often in the form of an auto injector, such as an EpiPen®. It should be given as soon as possible – treatment should never be delayed.

If a guest in your restaurant is having a severe reaction call 111 immediately, and tell them someone is having a severe allergic reaction.

How many people have food allergy in New Zealand?


It is not known how many are affected in New Zealand. Overseas studies suggest around 3 to 4 per cent of the population have food allergy – or around 160,000 people. Food allergy is more common in young children as many outgrow their allergies.

Regulatory obligations


Be aware of your obligations relating to allergen labelling and controls under legislative acts, such as the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and the Domestic Food Review .

A few tips for restaurants and cafes

  • Take food allergies seriously – even tiny traces of the food can cause a severe allergic reaction
  • If a dish contains an allergen – reflect this on the menu, e.g. chicken stir fry = chicken and cashew stir fry.
  • Consider a sign on the wall or a note on menus asking food-allergic guests to inform the manager of their allergies.
Tips for front of house and wait staff
  • Listen carefully to your customer – write down the foods he/she is allergic to
  • Inform the head chef and other kitchen staff of the foods that your customer is allergic to
  • Provide accurate ingredient information to your guest – if you are not sure whether a food contains the allergenic food or ingredient information is not available, do not guess. Say you are not sure and refer the question to the head chef on duty.
  • Wash and dry your hands carefully before serving the allergic customer’s food.
  • Signs of an allergic reaction include hives; rashes; swelling of face, lips, eyes, tongue; difficulty breathing, cough, wheeze, hoarseness; vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps; fainting, collapse and shock.
  • Call 111 and state your customer may have anaphylaxis (anna-fill-axis). Stay with the customer until help arrives.
Tips for the chef
  • Talk to your customer about menu alternatives
  • Ensure you have complete ingredient information from your suppliers
  • Ensure raw ingredients are stored carefully to prevent cross contamination. Do not share serving utensils.
  • Check labels of all ingredients in a dish. Know common terms for allergens, such as ‘whey’ or ‘casein’ for milk, ‘albumin’ for egg.
  • All equipment and utensils should be cleaned with hot, soapy water before being used to prepare a dish for a food-allergic diner. Be sure to keep the clean equipment separate from equipment being used for other orders.
  • Thoroughly wash and dry utensils, cutting boards, containers and grills to avoid cross-contamination between foods.
  • Think before adding nuts and seed oils, dressings, sauces and garnishes
  • Avoid cooking with fats or oils that have been used to cook other foods
  • Keep the safe meal separate to other dishes before it is served to the customer
For more information, send an email to Sara-Jane Murison, Allergy Educator, or phone 09 623 3912