Food allergies are a major concern. Specialised Order Pads Can Help.
Going out to eat can be a tough and dangerous proposition for those living with food allergies. An estimated 20 million Europeans live with food allergies, including 1 in 4 school-age children.
Exposure to foods to which a person has an allergy causes an abnormal response from the body’s immune system. Even small doses and in some cases simply touching or being in the same space as the food can result in digestive problems, hives, swollen airways, and other reactions. Food allergy can also cause a life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis, where the body goes into anaphylactic shock, which is often deadly.
Keeping your customers safe from food allergies
The foodservice industry including full-service and quick-service restaurants as well as convenience stores, have a responsibility to ensure customers with allergies are safe when they order something to eat. To help protect customers, regulations have been put in place to mandate full disclosure of potential food allergens on food labels, and, potentially, even menus.
Natasha’s law
Natasha’s Law was passed in 2021. It requires all prepackaged foods for direct sale (PPDS food) include a label that:
- The name of the food
- The ingredients listed in volume order
- Bold text to denote ingredients containing any of the 14 allergens listed under Natasha’s Law
Owen’s law
A campaign to pass Owen’s Law has also been introduced to supplement Natasha’s Law. It was named after an 18-year-old Owen Carey, who died after eating at a London restaurant in 2017 when the buttermilk used to marinate chicken was not disclosed. The campaign seeks to make restaurant requirements for displaying allergen information stricter and avoid needless deaths in the future.
Ensuring food allergens are not present in a recipe, however, is only one part of the equation. It is also necessary to cross-contaminate with safe ingredients and food allergens. Each food allergy is unique and needs to be addressed individually. Food handlers and servers must therefore be vigilant when avoiding cross-contamination, and upfront about their handling processes when communicating with customers about what they are ordering.
Without strict standards and diligence, there is always a risk of getting sick, or worse.
Solutions for a safe and healthy dining experience
The safest, and most efficient solutions are often the simplest.
Case in point: Our Allergen WaitRpad® is designed specifically to cater to allergies and dietary restrictions.
The foodservice industry including full-service and quick-service restaurants as well as convenience stores, have a responsibility to ensure customers with allergies are safe when they order something to eat. To help protect customers, regulations have been put in place to mandate full disclosure of potential food allergens on food labels, and, potentially, even menus.
By including not only space for order details, but also a key with the most common 14 allergens listed above, and shorthand abbreviations to make recording and communicating allergies to the kitchen as smooth and easy always possible, this specific order pad also includes reducing the risk of mistakes and lowers the possibility a food allergy will go unaddressed.
This also gives the guest peace of mind, while we are all impressed by the server capable of remembering orders without writing anything down (bravo!), there is a certain comfort in knowing that your order has been recorded. It shows a level of care by the restaurant, as well as acting as a reference point that allows patrons to feel safe and ensures accountability should a mistake occur.
Customers, especially those for whom dining out is a risk, want to feel safe and happy as anyone else. No one should be forced to stay home simply because they have a food allergy. The Allergen WaitRpad® ensures the safety, peace of mind, and enjoyment of every guest at the table.