Food allergies are a major health issue. 220 million people worldwide are affected, and 40% of children experience a life-threatening reaction when encountering an allergen.
Over 160 foods can cause allergic reactions in people with food allergies, though the EU has identified the 14 most common allergens:
This can make going out to eat a tricky proposition – and puts added pressure on a restaurant, café, or other foodservice establishment to ensure diners know exactly what they’re ordering to avoid disaster.
Luckily, there is a simple solution: Proper allergen labelling.
Why Allergen Labelling is So Important
To put it simply, food labels can help consumers avoid foods or ingredients to which they or their families have an allergy.
According to the UK Food Standards Agency,
“Allergen labelling is a risk management strategy intended to provide food allergic individuals (FAIs), and those shopping and preparing food for FAIs, with access to clear and accurate information on the presence of allergens in foods, so that they can make safe and informed food choices.”
Recognising the benefit of labelling, the UK government has enacted regulations to ensure consumers are safe when they are eating outside of the home.
Natasha’s Law, enacted in 2021, increased food labelling regulations to require full ingredient and allergen labelling be included food that is pre-packaged for direct sale (PPDS) – allergens specifically must be highlighted on the label for better visibility.
Further regulations are being discussed in the form of Owen’s Law. This would require restaurants to include allergen information on restaurant menus as well.
Learn more about the push for protections under Owen’s Law
DateCodeGenie® for Allergen Labelling
The benefits of using the DateCodeGenie automated labelling system to help with allergen labelling are manifold: Not only does it make the entire labelling process easier, printing nutrition information, dietary restrictions, and warning labels with the simple press of a button, but it also makes regulatory changes, e.g., Owen’s Law, easier to manage as well.
DateCodeGenie allergen labelling therefore will:
- Ensure allergen information is accurate, consistent, and up-to-date
- Help staff keep allergens properly marked during food prep
- Maintain safety and transparency on takeaway and delivery food items
Keeping consumers happy and safe is ultimately the goal of any foodservice establishment, whether at a restaurant or café, a school cafeteria, hospital, sports stadium or hotel. NCCO is here to help make that process as smooth as possible.