How to Prevent and Respond to Allergic Reactions in a Restaurant
Dining out is a chance to create moments with friends and family. However, for individuals with food allergies, a visit to a restaurant can be a source of anxiety and uncertainty. Allergic reactions can range from mild discomfort to life-threatening emergencies, making it crucial for both customers and restaurant staff to be well-informed and prepared.
In this blog, we’ll share ways you can prevent and respond to allergic reactions in a restaurant setting to create a safe and healthy environment for everyone.
What Causes Food Allergies?
A food allergic reaction occurs when the immune system mistakenly identifies certain proteins in food as harmful substances and attacks that food protein as an immune response. The immune system releases antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE) to neutralize the perceived threat, triggering the release of histamine and other chemicals that lead to allergic symptoms.
Food Allergy Symptoms
Allergic reactions vary in their severity, but they always carry the risk of potentially life-threatening outcomes.
Symptoms may include:
- Itching or swelling of the mouth, throat, face, or skin
- Hives or rash
- Trouble swallowing or breathing
- Stomach pain
- Diarrhea
- Nausea or vomiting
Common Food Allergens
The eight most common food allergens include:
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc.)
- Shellfish (shrimp, lobster, etc.)
- Fish (salmon, tuna, etc.)
- Milk
- Eggs
- Soy
- Wheat
These allergens can trigger allergic reactions in vulnerable individuals and require strict measures to prevent symptoms.
How Are Allergic Reactions Best Avoided?
There is only one practical approach when wanting to prevent a food allergy reaction, and that is to completely avoid consuming the allergenic food itself and any product that may contain it as an ingredient. However, restaurant customers can take the following steps:
1. Plan Ahead
Before dining out, research the menu options and allergen policies. Many establishments provide information online regarding allergen-friendly choices or special accommodations they can make. Choose restaurants that prioritize food safety and allergen management.
2. Communicate With Restaurant Staff
While at a restaurant, communicate your food allergies to the restaurant staff. Ask questions about ingredients, preparation methods, and potential cross-contamination risks. Ensure that they understand the severity of your allergies and the importance of avoiding contact with allergens.
3. Carry Emergency Medications
If you have a known food allergy, always carry your prescribed emergency medication, such as an epinephrine auto-injector (e.g., EpiPen). Ensure that it is readily accessible and not expired.
What Are the Methods for Preventing Allergic Reactions to Food?
Food allergies affect an estimated 32 million people in the U.S. and are responsible for approximately 200,000 emergency department visits yearly. Nearly half of reported fatal food allergy reactions over a 13-year period were caused by food from a restaurant or other food service establishment.
To prioritize the safety of customers with food allergies, it is crucial to effectively manage allergens within your food business. There are many best practices restaurant staff, and customers can take to prevent allergic reactions. This includes incorporating allergen information during menu planning and implementing safe food preparation and hygiene practices to avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen.
Cross-contact, often overlooked, occurs when allergens are transferred to a food item that would normally be safe for consumption, thereby creating a risk for individuals with allergies. However, most restaurants do not have separate areas and equipment for preparing and cooking allergen-free food, leading to increased chances for cross-contact.
While using the same cutting board for meat and shrimp may seem insignificant during meal preparation, this action can have severe consequences for individuals with a shellfish allergy. Even a single mistake like this could endanger a customer's life by triggering an allergic reaction. Therefore, paying close attention to detail is crucial in preventing such reactions.
To help ensure the safety of customers with food allergies, it’s important to implement specific actions to reduce the risk of cross-contamination with allergens. Here are several measures you can take:
- Thoroughly clean utensils before each use, especially if they were previously used to prepare meals containing allergens.
- Wash your hands meticulously between preparing dishes with and without specific allergens to avoid any potential transfer.
- Store ingredients and prepared foods separately in sealed and clearly labeled containers to prevent accidental mixing or contact.
- Keep ingredients that contain allergens segregated from other ingredients during storage and food preparation to minimize the risk of cross-contamination.
Using the same cooking oil can also lead to cross-contamination with allergens.
To care for customers with food allergies, restaurant managers should ensure the availability of dedicated equipment and designated areas for preparing their meals. Alternatively, they can establish protocols requiring staff to thoroughly clean work surfaces and equipment before handling food for customers with allergies.
How Can Restaurants Reduce the Risk of Food Allergy Reactions?
Allergic reactions are a common occurrence, especially in the restaurant industry. Studies show that approximately one in three people with food allergies have experienced a reaction while at a restaurant. By implementing best practices for proper food handling and educating food workers about important information related to allergies, restaurants can significantly reduce the risk of allergic reactions occurring within their establishments.
Some steps restaurant staff can take when handling food to prevent allergic reactions from customers include:
1. Have a Plan
Restaurants must establish a comprehensive plan for serving customers with food allergies. Restaurant staff members are more knowledgeable about food allergies when working in restaurants with a well-defined strategy for catering to customers with specific dietary needs.
2. Read Ingredient Labels
Always carefully read ingredient labels on packaged foods. Look for any mention of common allergens or potential cross-contamination with allergenic ingredients. If you're unsure whether a certain food item contains an allergen, be honest with the customer and let them know that you don't have the necessary information.
3. Separate Kitchen Equipment
Cross-contamination can occur when allergenic ingredients encounter non-allergenic foods. To reduce the risk of allergen cross-contact, it is advisable to use separate deep fryers, cutting boards, utensils, and other equipment dedicated to specific allergens. Doing so can prevent allergenic substances from coming into contact with other foods that would typically be safe. Using shared fryers, cutting boards, and serving utensils could lead to cross-contact and potentially trigger allergic reactions. Paying attention to what has touched the surfaces and handling common allergens with care is crucial.
4. Practice Cleanliness
After handling foods that contain allergens, it is essential to promptly change gloves and thoroughly wash your hands. This practice is crucial to prevent cross-contact with other foods and reduce the risk of allergen transfer. Implement stringent cleaning protocols to eliminate allergen residues from cooking surfaces, utensils, and shared equipment. Ensure that cleaning procedures are thorough and conducted regularly to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
5. Be Transparent
Make sure to provide ingredient lists or recipes for menu items. Indicate allergenic ingredients on menus, both in-house and online. Provide detailed information about potential cross-contamination risks and offer allergen-free options or customizable dishes to accommodate various dietary needs. Use visible allergy alert icons or symbols on menus to draw attention to allergenic ingredients or dishes with potential cross-contact risks. This helps customers quickly identify safe options and make informed choices.
In addition to the potential harm food allergies can cause customers, failing to comply with allergen information requirements can pose risks to your food business's financial stability and reputation.
6. Communicate With Customers
Encourage customers to inform the restaurant staff about their food allergies when making reservations or upon arrival. Establish a process for customers to communicate their specific dietary needs, ingredient concerns, and any additional precautions they may require. Encourage open and honest communication between customers and restaurant staff. Train your staff to actively listen to customer concerns, ask detailed questions about specific allergies, and provide accurate information about menu items and their preparation.
7. Develop Allergy Policy Documentation
Develop a comprehensive allergy policy outlining the restaurant's commitment to food safety and allergen management. Make this policy available to staff and customers online and within the establishment.
Living with allergies can present difficulties and challenges. However, by adhering to safe food practices, you can ensure the safety and well-being of your customers.
What Best Practice Can Help to Prevent Allergic Reactions With Customers?
According to a study by the Environmental Health Specialist Network (EHS-Net), while restaurant managers and staff generally demonstrated knowledge and a positive attitude towards accommodating customers with food allergies, it was concerning that over half of the interviewed staff members had never received formal training on food allergies. Moreover, the training that did take place often did not cover necessary information, such as how to handle allergic reactions in customers. Alarmingly, there were instances where some managers and staff incorrectly believed that a small amount of an allergen would be safe for someone with a food allergy.
The same study revealed that numerous restaurants have staff members who have yet to undergo training focused on food allergies, leading to a lack of essential knowledge about allergens. Furthermore, staff members with less experience in the restaurant industry tended to have less knowledge about allergies.
Providing comprehensive training on food allergies, particularly to less experienced staff, is highly important. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), restaurants should provide training to staff on food allergies and how serious they can be, including:
- The most common, or major, food allergens.
- The symptoms of an allergic reaction
- How to avoid cross-contact from food allergens to other foods
- The details of the menu items in the restaurant with food allergens
- What to do when a customer tells you they have a food allergy
- What to do if a customer has a bad food allergic reaction (e.g., trouble breathing)
Educating all restaurant employees about food allergies, their potential consequences, and the importance of allergen management can help save lives. It's also essential to stay informed about the latest research, guidelines, and regulations related to food allergies. Therefore, continuously train and update your staff on best practices to ensure their knowledge is current.
Get Started with 360training
At 360training, the premier national provider of food and alcohol training, we offer ANAB-Accredited Food Allergy Training online. After completing our training, you create an allergen control plan for your food service establishment.
This course allows you to become familiar with food allergies and intolerances with the information in our training course. This ANAB-Accredited food allergy course teaches you about the top eight food allergens and is designed to help restaurant employees or anyone in the food service industry prevent customers from allergic reactions. Sign up today!
