3 May 2010

Restaurants and Guests with Food Allergies

Posted by Crystal under: Restaurant Business .

If the restaurant’s staff is not familiar with issues surrounding food allergies, dining at a restaurant may turn into an unpleasant experience for people with food allergies. Such individuals may experience a range of symptoms if they consume foods containing allergens. These symptoms include difficulty breathing, swelling, hives, abdominal pains, and many others. In severe cases, people with food allergies may experience a potential fatal allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis, which leads to a drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness, and, sometimes, death. This article provides an overview of common food allergens and some tips on how to safely prepare and serve food to restaurant’s guests:

Common Food Allergens. Food allergy is an abnormal response of a human immune system to a particular food, when the body perceives that food to be harmful and generates antibodies to fight it. Some of the most common food allergens are fish, shellfish, peanuts, wheat, milk, eggs, and soy. In addition to allergies, some people have certain types of food intolerance. Food intolerance, unlike food allergies, does not involve immune system response. Instead, food intolerance is simply body’s inability to digest a particular food, which is why it is important to be aware of common types of food intolerance, such as lactose intolerance – individual’s inability to digest milk products and gluten intolerance – inability to digest a protein in wheat.

Risk Management. Any restaurant should have a detailed list of ingredients for each of its menu items in case a guest with allergies asks to supply such a list before ordering meals. Restaurant should not keep any ingredients “secret” and should provide the accurate description of the meal to avoid possible liability. The staff should be educated about food allergy basics and should be able to comfortably handle questions and requests from guests.

Reducing Liability. Always disclose ingredients of your menu items if it is requested by guests with food allergies. This will reduce liability risk if a guest eats certain dish and experiences an allergic reaction. Make sure your restaurant follows proper food handling procedures and avoids cross-contamination between the foods during the preparation process. For instance, avoid cross contact of vegetables and seafood products, some of which could cause severe allergic reactions in certain individuals.

Staff Training. Train your staff, including servers, kitchen staff and managers, about the important aspects surrounding food allergies. Staff should be trained to be able to answer guests’ questions and handle special requests. Train your staff regarding what steps to take if an emergency occurs due to an allergic reaction. Staff should be provided with accurate information about food ingredients, so that the right food choices can be made. Create written procedures for your staff members to help them handle guests with food allergies. Conduct such training regularly to educate new hires and reinforce knowledge of existing employees.

Handling Emergencies. Prepare a written emergency plan and outline precise steps that staff should take if an allergic reaction occurs. One of the most important steps of such plan should be calling emergency 911 to get immediate medical help. It is also critical that a person who experiences an allergic reaction should remain where s/he is, seated, and should not be standing. In many cases, a fatal condition of anaphylaxis may occur if a person stands up during the allergic reaction. Always have a designated staff member on duty responsible for handling emergency situations like that.

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