Module 7: Food allergens ‣ Skills Enhanced

NSW Food Authority | Food Handler Basics

In Australia allergies are very common. People can be allergic to a range of different substances such as pets, pollens, grasses, insects or food.

As a food handler it is important that you have an understanding of food allergies and food intolerances.

You will be able to describe:

The difference between food allergies and food intolerances
Symptoms of allergic reactions
Symptoms of food intolerances
Food handler responsibilities for customers with food allergies or intolerances
What a food recall is.

Food allergy

Anallergyis an overreaction by the body’s immune system to a normally harmless substance.

Food is a common cause of allergic reactions which are becoming more common in Australia.

The allergic reaction to food is caused by a protein in the food that the immune system mistakenly believes is harmful.

A food intolerance is easily confused with a food allergy, but they are different because food intolerances:

Do not involve the immune system
Are slower in onset
Are not life threatening.

Common symptoms of allergic reactions:

Food intolerances

A food intolerance is often due to the natural chemicals found in foods.

The most common foods to cause a reaction for people with a food intolerance are foods containing glutamate, amines and salicylates.
For example:

Amines can be found in pineapples, bananas, vegetables, red wine, chocolate, citrus fruits and mature cheese
Salicylates can be found in some herbs, spices, fruit and vegetables
Glutamate can be found in tomatoes, soy sauce, mushrooms and some cheeses.

There are eleven food allergens that you must be able to advise customers of if they ask if they are present in the food you sell.

They are:

Cereals containing gluten and their products – namely wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt
Shellfish, crustaceans and their products
Egg and egg products
Fish and fish products
Milk and milk products
Peanuts and peanut products
Tree nuts and tree nut products (this does not include coconut)
Sesame seeds and sesame seed products
Soybean and soybean products
Added sulphites in concentrations of 10mg/kg or more
Lupin and lupin products.

Food handler responsibilities

As a food handler, the law requires that you know what is in the food you are selling because some ingredients may cause an allergic reaction or illness in the person who eats it.

You should:

Be absolutely sure you understand the customer’s needs and are giving them correct information
Ask your manager or chef if you don’t know or are unsure
Ask if your workplace has a way of identifying meals that are to be delivered to an allergic customer, such as using different coloured plates
When delivering the meal, identify the allergen free product to ensure it is given to the right customer
Use separate, clean utensils, cutting boards and kitchen equipment for customers with a food allergy
Call an ambulance if a customer has trouble breathing, tightness and swelling of their throat and tongue and is faint or collapses.

You should not:

Ever guess what is in a food. If you don’t know ask – your guess could prove fatal to your customer
Remove an allergen from a finished meal. For example, take the nuts off a plate of food thinking that this is a safe meal to provide to a customer with a nut allergy. It is not, even the smallest trace can cause anaphylaxis and death.

Remember

It is extremely important to use clean and sanitised or separate utensils, cutting boards and cooking equipment when making food for a customer with an allergy.

Even the smallest amount of the allergen on surfaces can cause an allergic reaction

Food recalls

Food recalls occur because a food has been found to be unsafe.

This could be due to contamination by microorganisms, chemicals, physical hazards or undeclared allergens.

Food products are required by law to list all of the ingredients they contain on the label.

Sometimes an ingredient is missing from the label, which will cause harm to people consuming it who have a food allergy or intolerance.

This missing information is called an undeclared allergen.

In 2020, 48 per cent of food recalls in Australia occurred because of undeclared allergens.

Your workplace may be notified that a particular food is unsafe and has been recalled.

It is a legal requirement to remove that food from sale and dispose of it as advised by the supplier or the council environmental health officer, and in accordance with your supervisor or manager’s instructions.

Steps to take:

Make sure the new label covers the old one and no old information can be seen.

Act immediately by checking to see if you have the recalled food item

Take the recalled food item off the shelf, isolate it and clearly mark it not for sale

Ensure all staff members are aware of the food recall

Follow the instructions of your supervisor, manager or environmental health officer

If the product is being re-labelled, do not return the recalled stock to the shelves until the new label is applied.

Module 7: Food allergens

Food Handler Basics Training