How Restaurants Can Protect Customers with Food Allergies

Over 15 million Americans suffer from food-related allergies, so it’s a good thing there are lots of resources for restaurant managers to make sure their kitchen is food allergy-friendly. Food allergy training for restaurants is required in Illinois, Michigan, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Virginia and in Montgomery County, Maryland, but they don’t have to do it alone: there are many accredited food allergy training programs for restaurants, easily found via state departments of public health. In addition to learning the common food allergies found in restaurants, managers can take other steps—up to and including food allergy training for restaurants—to make sure they are keeping their customers safe.

Best Ways to Protect Against Food Allergies

May 31, 2017 8:43:33 PM

Restaurant managers are encouraged to take all of the follow precautions to protect restaurant goers from food allergy attacks.

  • Post food allergen signs
  • Purchase purple food allergen utensils and food prep items
  • Encourage food allergen labeling in their kitchens
  • If a restaurant is located within the aforementioned states covered by food allergy laws, managers can also mandate allergen awareness training like Always Food Safe for all of their staff.
  • Managers can also talk to their staff and make allergen awareness training part of ongoing education and the new hire training process
  • Encourae their customers to download the free AllergyEats mobile app, which helps users find food allergy-friendly restaurants.

Most Common Food Allergies Found in Restaurants

Simply being aware of the common food allergies can help a restaurant start to become food allergy-friendly. A full 90 percent of major food allergens fall into the following eight categories, making them common food allergies in restaurants as well:

  • Peanut: Peanut allergies have been growing more common recently, and are some of the most common causes of severe allergy attacks. The National Institutes of Health show about 20 percent of people with a peanut allergy eventually outgrow it.
  • Tree nut: Not to be confused with peanuts, which are legumes, tea nut allergies can result in diarrhea, nausea and other symptoms. Interestingly, between 25 and 40 percent of individuals who are allergic to peanuts also react to at least one tree nut.
  • Milk: About 80 percent of children with childhood milk allergies are likely to outgrow those allergies by the time they’re 16. It is one of the most common food allergies in children, according to the Mayo Clinic.
  • Egg: Symptoms of an egg allergy usually hit between a few minutes and a few hours, and can range from mild to severe, including hives, rashes and more. Only rarely does an egg allergy cause anaphylaxis.
  • Soy: A soy allergy often begins in infancy as a reaction to soy-based formula, though most children outgrow soy allergies.
  • Fish: Unlike other common allergies, allergies to finned fish often begin in adulthood.
  • Shellfish: Some people may experience allergy symptoms with all shellfish, while other may only react to specific shellfish.
  • Wheat: Avoiding wheat can be more difficult than other common food allergies, since wheat is found in many foods one may not suspect, including soy sauce, ice cream, hot dogs and more. Because of its ubiquity, people allergic to wheat may need to use medications to safely manage their symptoms.

Next Steps to Follow

In addition to taking other signage steps and securing required training for management staff, it is important for restaurant managers to be aware of the most common food allergies in restaurants, just as they must know the food allergy laws that apply to their domain. All of this information and more is covered in Dot It’s Allergen Awareness courses, offered through our partnership with Always Food Safe.

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