Allergen, Intolerances & Dietary Requirements Policy

This policy demonstrates our commitment to reducing the risk to staff, visitors and customers concerning food provision and production, which could cause allergic reactions. Through this policy, we will aim to minimise the risk of allergens causing harm through safe procedures, staff training and planning for effective responses to allergenic emergencies.

The 14 food allergens There are 14 food allergens as contained within the law:-

• Peanuts
• Cereals containing Gluten
• Nuts
• Soya
• Custaceans
• Molluscs
• Sesame seeds
• Celery
• Fish
• Mustard
• Eggs
• Lupin
• Milk
• Sulphur Dioxide

What is a food allergy?

→ A food allergy is an adverse reaction by the body’s immune system to a specific food ingredient. An allergic reaction can occur even after eating just a trace of the ingredient and can be life-threatening.

→ Symptoms of a food allergy are often mild but can be very serious. The most common symptoms are an itchy mouth and throat, a red rash and swelling of the face. These are most likely to occur soon after eating the allergenic food but, in some cases, can develop hours later.

What is food intolerance?

→ Food intolerance involves an adverse reaction by the body to a specific food ingredient, but it is not related to the immune system and therefore is not life-threatening. Instead, the body has difficulty digesting certain foods, usually when consumed in large amounts.

→ Symptoms of food intolerance include bloating, stomach cramps and diarrhoea, which usually come on gradually within a few hours of eating.

What is a Dietary Requirement

→ A dietary requirement is a person’s sensitivity to certain foods, Religious or moral beliefs. We cater to the following;

• Lactose
• Gluten
• Vegetarianism
• Veganism
• Halal
• Diabetic Diets

We prepare dishes following the above dietary requirements in the same way that we cater to our allergen customers. Please see our ‘Good kitchen Procedures’ section for details on how cross contamination is avoided.

What is coeliac disease?

→ Coeliac disease is a condition which causes the body to react when gluten is consumed. The villi in the small intestine are attacked and damaged by the body’s immune system, which means the body can’t absorb nutrients from foods. The only way to prevent symptoms of coeliac disease is to avoid altogether consuming even trace amounts of gluten.

Who does it affect?

→ Anyone can develop food hypersensitivity at any point in their life. Food hypersensitivities are life-changing, and often the only way to manage them is by careful control of what the person consumes.

→ Allergic reactions can be life-threatening, known as anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock, it occurs because the body’s immune system has overreacted to an allergen. It can cause swelling of the airways, and the person will need immediate medical attention. Severe allergies can be triggered by even trace amounts of the allergen in the food consumed.

→ If you work with food, you must take allergens seriously, as you are legally responsible for providing correct allergen information about the ingredients in the food you serve.

Food hypersensitivity is a blanket term for an adverse reaction to food. This could be due to a food allergy, food intolerance or an autoimmune disease such as coeliac disease.

Who is responsible? The business owner and Kitchen Managers are jointly responsible for ensuring all documentation regarding ingredients, allergens, and staff information sheets are accurate and updated. The duty manager is responsible for ensuring all procedures are adhered to on shift and that all staff receive training, including annual refresher training on safe food handling, including allergen awareness. All staff, regardless of their position, are responsible for keeping the food hypersensitive customer safe. Everyone must understand the procedures in place to protect them and follow all the guidelines carefully.

Gathering allergen information

All Allergen Information for menu items is collated at Head office and distributed accordingly to each unit. These contain a list of all the ingredients in the final product, both allergenic and non-allergenic. Each food product prepared should have accompanying information about the ingredients it contains. These sheets must be updated, especially if a recipe ingredient changes. Ingredients lists on the packaging must be checked, and a record of this information must be kept. If ingredients are decanted into storage containers, then these must be labelled with the same ingredient list.

Which allergens are present?

Remember to take account of all ingredients used in a food item, including hidden allergens. For example:

• Celery refers to the stalks, leaves and seeds of both celery and celeriac, including celery salt.
• Cereals containing gluten include bread, pasta, pastry, cakes, royal icing, sauces, soups and batter.
• Crustaceans include lobster, prawns, crab, scampi and pastes made with these.
• Eggs can be found in pasta, quiche, sauces, cakes, mousses and mayonnaise, or items may be brushed with an egg glaze.
• Fish can be found in salad dressings, on pizza and in Worcestershire sauce.
• Lupin flour and seeds are used in some pastries and bread and often in products labelled as gluten free.
• Molluscs include squid, snails, mussels and oysters, including oyster sauce.
• Milk can be found in cheese, butter, cream and yoghurt. Items may also be brushed with a milk glaze or contain milk powder.
• Mustard refers to seeds, powder and liquid mustard and is often found in dressings and marinades, sauces, curries and soups. Cress also contains the substance which causes a reaction to mustard.
• Nuts, such as almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios and cashews, macadamia and walnuts, are commonly used in desserts, bread, ice cream and sauces, whether whole, ground or as an oil.
• Peanuts, including peanut flour (groundnuts) and groundnut oil, can be found in desserts, cakes and sauces.
• Sesame seeds and sesame oil are often found in bread, hummus, tahini and stir-fried dishes.
• Soya refers to soya protein, flour and beans and can be found in tofu, sauces, edamame beans, desserts and many vegetarian and vegan products.
• Sulphur dioxide and sulphites are preservatives commonly found in dried fruit, fruit juice, meat products, wine and beer. (Concentrations of more than 10mg/kg or 10mg/litre)

Any changes to suppliers or to the product or ingredient that is delivered to the business MUST be checked and updated with the latest information. Similarly, any recipe changes must be checked and updated in the information sheet. Any new products must receive the same checks and sharing of information.

Good kitchen procedures

The following lists the procedure we have in place to minimise the risk of allergenic/Dietary requirement cross-contamination in the kitchen and how we reduce risk to staff, visitors and customers of Hobbs School Catering. These procedures are based on the outcomes of a thorough HACCP plan and Allergen risk assessment.

• All ingredients will come from reputable suppliers. Any changes in suppliers will be detailed, and full traceability records shall be kept.
• When allergenic ingredients are kept in-house, they shall be stored separately and in sealed containers on lower shelves.
• Thoroughly clean food preparation surfaces using the two-stage cleaning technique after using allergenic/Dietary ingredients.
• Carefully clean up any spillages of allergenic ingredients as soon as they occur. Use a single-use cloth, not a reusable one.
• Ensure that food handling equipment, such as mixers, blenders, processors and weighing scales, are cleaned thoroughly before using it for an allergen-free product.
• When cleaning food handling equipment, dismantle it carefully to ensure all parts are cleaned and no allergenic/dietary residue, such as powders and seeds, is left in hard-to-reach places.
• Use designated, colour-coded cleaning equipment to clean areas where allergen-free foods/dietary foods are prepared.
• Only use the same utensils for allergenic and allergen-free foods after thoroughly cleaning them in between uses.
• Staff must wash their hands properly using the correct technique before and after handling allergenic ingredients and food products.

What to do in an emergency situation

Ensure that a member of school staff is informed of any allergic reactions or allergenic cross-contamination. Alert a first aider and the school staff will administer any emergency medical care or give any medicine to those affected.

Inclusivity In order to ensure that food hypersensitive customers can choose from a range of options, a conscious effort is made to reduce the number of allergens used and to avoid unnecessary use of allergens. Careful procedures to prevent cross-contamination reduce the need for precautionary allergen labelling, providing more options for the food hypersensitive customer.

Allergen Policy to be reviewed yearly.

By: Melissa – Jane Hobbs