Food Allergens and Intolerances in Food Businesses

Whether you serve allergen-free food or not, they are in your business, and you need to know about them to protect your customers and assist your business with how to manage them.
We have lots of information in this article about food allergens. 

The following information is to assist food businesses with allergen management.

Identify the most common food allergens

Recently the list of most common food allergens has been expanded by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand for the allergens that need to be declared in food:

*  Barley, oats, and rye must be declared if they contain gluten.  
** Sulphites must be declared when added in amounts equal to or more than 10 milligrams per kilogram of food.

Know what goes into the food you prepare and sell

It's very important that all staff that are handling food know what ingredients go into the food, including the ingredients of ingredients (compound ingredients). For example, if a cheesecake uses crushed biscuits as part of its base, staff must be aware of exactly what's in the crushed biscuits.

In your business, be sure to do the following:

• check food labels/ingredient lists for all products used in the business, especially those manufactured off-site. 
• obtain ingredient lists for foods that are received unpackaged from other businesses – for example unpackaged slices/pies.
• check food labels for allergens listed by other names (e.g., “casein” instead of milk, “tempeh” instead of soy), this should now be easier to identify, as there have been recent changes to the requirements on how allergens are labelled on pre-packaged foods.
• use labelled ingredients and products where possible. Certain foods must be listed on food packaging or be available to customers when requested. Refer to the article in our April 2024 newsletter - New Requirements for declaring allergens on food labels
• check with suppliers when products are changed or are new and improved to verify new recipes won't introduce an allergen.

Not all employees need to check food labels - but all employees should know what goes into the foods the business prepares and sells.

This information can be provided to staff in various ways for example;

• Allergen matrix
• Standardised recipe information, with allergen information highlighted
• Folder of copies of labels from pre-packaged foods that the business purchase

• Ingredient lists for foods that are received unpackaged – for example slices/pies.
  
  

Communicate effectively with customers

When asked if a food item or dish contains an allergen, food handlers must respond accurately and honestly. It is vital that food handlers know what to do if they don't know the answer, never guess and hope for the best.

Ensure food handlers (both back and front-of-house) can answer questions about allergens confidently, make sure they:

• have access to ingredient information (written documents if possible)
• feel comfortable asking management and other staff members about the products they offer.
• have been instructed to inform customers if they cannot offer an allergen or intolerance-free meal.
• have been trained to inform all kitchen and service staff when an allergen-free meal is required.
• feel comfortable consulting the customer on how best to manage their allergy.
• consider listing information about known allergens in an obvious place for customers to see.
• ensure your information online is clear, and there is a process in place if customers are ordering allergen free food or have an allergen request that they can place through your online ordering system. There is a coronial inquest examining food app regulations after a teen dies from a nut allergy.  Read the full story on ABC News. 

Prevent cross-contamination - tiny amounts can kill

Cross-contamination can happen when a small amount of a food allergen gets into another food accidentally through the manufacturing, food storage and preparation processes, or display. It can also occur through contact with utensils, surfaces, or objects. As a result, each food then contains a small amount of the other food.

These amounts are so small that they usually can't be seen. This tiny amount of food protein can cause reactions in people with food allergies.

For example, using a hot plate to cook eggs, followed by bacon, and only wiping down the hotplate with a wet cloth between. This type of cleaning will not remove all trace amounts of egg left on the hotplate and can contaminate the bacon. If a person who is allergic to eggs eats this bacon, they will have the same allergic reaction as if they had eaten the egg. You would be surprised by how easy it is for traces of an allergen to get onto a customer's plate; even trace amounts can cause a life-threatening reaction.

The following table of common allergens is an extract from the Allergen Bureau 2019 where a panel of food allergen experts reviewed research findings to determine how much allergen protein could, in one eating occasion, trigger a reaction in a highly allergic individual.

Source: The Allergen Bureau 2019 (VESP recommended reference doses)

To prevent cross-contamination in food businesses, consider the following:

• clean surfaces, equipment, and utensils thoroughly before preparing an allergen-free meal.
•  prepare foods or meals that are allergen-free, away and separate from normal preparation areas (where possible). Clean the area before and after each use to remove allergen residues.
• when preparing an allergen-free meal, (where possible) make it fresh and prepare it first.
• don't substitute one ingredient for another (for example, don't use sesame seeds instead of poppy seeds, as the customer who chose the meal may have a sesame allergy that they did not disclose).
• manage food displays to prevent cross-contamination from foods containing allergens (for example, store pre-prepared ‘free from’ food in a separate display or on the top shelf).
• colour-code equipment for allergens (for example, dedicate serving equipment, storage containers).
• avoid using communal foods such butter/ chutney / mustard, as there will be a higher risk of cross-contamination. Clearly label the jar / container that is used for preparing allergen free food, so it is not used in normal food preparation
• avoid reusing equipment for different ingredients, for example, don't reuse a cutting board that was used to chop peanuts to prepare vegetables for a salad.
• do not use appliances that are difficult to thoroughly clean (e.g., toasters). Having a separate appliance that is only used for the person with the allergy is often necessary.
• use standard recipe cards to prevent alterations / addition of extra ingredients.
• ensure food handlers have a high level of personnel hygiene before and during preparing an allergen-free meal (for example, hand washing, clean apron).
• review new menu items / special boards for allergens. Ensure staff are informed of any common allergens present in these foods.
• conduct regular allergen awareness training for staff to check their knowledge and understanding of allergens (for example, what allergens and ingredients are present in the foods being served, what happens when a customer identifies themselves with a food allergy and intolerance).
• clearly understand what the customer is asking for. Ask them questions to better understand their requirements or clarify food preparation methods (for example, ask if laying foil across the grill before cooking a steak is a good solution)
• always document and verbally alert kitchen and wait staff when a customer has ordered an allergen-free meal.
• clearly identify allergen-free, orders, meals, or products (for example, highlighting on order docket, different coloured or shaped plates, coloured stickers, or tags for ingredients).
• where practical serve allergen-free meals first / separately to allergen containing meals.

Allergen and intolerance fact sheets for businesses have been developed by Department of Health to assist food businesses to identify the declared common food allergens and implement plans when handling and preparing food allergens.