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Dining out with a food allergy can be a stressful experience, but it doesn’t have to be. As a authorised certification body of Safe to Trade, we’re dedicated to helping food businesses create a safer, more inclusive dining environment for everyone, especially those managing food allergies.
We recently caught up with Dr. Hazel Gowland, one of the UK’s foremost experts in food allergy management. Dr. Gowland, a researcher, lecturer, and advocate with lived experience of food hypersensitivity, has shaped food allergen safety practices nationwide. Her insights have been pivotal in helping us understand the real challenges faced by customers with food allergies, and how food businesses can do more to support them.
Safe to Trade is designed to help businesses meet the rigorous food safety standards required to manage allergens effectively. By achieving this certification, food businesses can provide clear, accurate allergen information, maintain safe food handling practices, and build trust with customers who rely on safe dining options.
Why dining out with food allergies can still feel risky
With more than two million people in the UK affected by food allergies, eating out can bring anxiety as well as appetite. Ingredient substitutions, unclear menu labelling, or accidental cross-contact can turn an everyday experience into a health emergency.
Dr Hazel Gowland reminds us that allergen management isn’t static, it evolves constantly with every menu change, recipe tweak, or supplier update. “The Safe to Trade Standard,” she explains, “is designed to help food businesses minimise allergen risks and align with the latest UK food safety regulations.”
How do you think Safe to Trade will help food businesses better manage their allergen controls?
The Safe to Trade Standard is aligned with the latest (UK) food safety regulations, including those that relate to known allergen hazards and risks. Food business operators implementing its requirements will minimise allergen risks to customers, staff and others who need to avoid the 14 regulated food allergen categories to protect their health. They will also be alert to other allergen avoidance requirements beyond those 14. Safe to Trade auditors have received specific training on top of their professional qualifications to help them distinguish effective allergen policies and practices through observation and dialogue with staff. This will include reconciliation of signage, menus, recipes, and allergen information.
What about ongoing allergen information to staff and customers?
The maintenance and provision of allergen information and associated signage is critical and should be audited and sense checked.
The integrity of ingredients and allergen information can be controlled by practical gatekeeping measures such as only sourcing from permitted suppliers, notification of recipe changes, quarantining deliveries until their allergen content can be checked in the event of an allergen related recall or emergency product withdrawal.
Practical control measures can also include, withdrawing menu items rather than serving unfamiliar substitutes and limiting contingency purchasing when ingredients run out.
What actions should be taken by the business when a customer declares an allergy or other avoidance requirement?
Beyond these ‘everyday’ controls, food business operators should have procedures and implement additional controls for those declaring a food allergy, intolerance or other avoidance need.
Many businesses have a proactive policy of inviting customers to declare their requirements on arrival and / or when ordering. Some, for example, require that a manager or supervisor oversees the order, communicating with kitchen staff and using additional measures to check the ingredients, reduce the risk of cross contamination, and using printed notes, signs such as flags on the meal and face to face checks to ensure that customer is served the meal specifically prepared to them.
So, the key thing is there should be a procedure in place and staff with the necessary skills, training and processes to implement it effectively.
What should happen if there is an issue or incident?
It is vital that any ‘near-miss’ or allergen incident is recognised as such, and that, once the customer is known to be stable, an immediate investigation takes place to identify the root cause and what immediate and longer-term changes may be needed to prevent recurrence.
Ideally this should be transparent and initially without blame. It could be, for example, that the allergy or other condition may not have been declared, the customer may have eaten something not prepared for them, or there may have been a misunderstanding, an error or inadvertent cross contamination.
However, regardless of the cause, any lessons learned should be shared across the food business and with all staff including other outlets. Revision of policies and practices, on-going reviews and training updates should follow.
How can businesses keep on top of allergen controls?
External technical support provided as part of Safe to Trade will of course help but it is very important that food business operators and indeed auditors ensure they maintain and update their own skills and knowledge on allergen management given its potential impact on the customer and business.
This includes being aware of common allergens beyond the 14 regulated categories, as well as allergen alerts and recalls communicated by the FSA / FSS. There are also a number of charities such as Anaphylaxis UK, Coeliac UK and other organisations who provide insight, business forums and update events.
Also, it is important to listen to staff, customers and others who may have identified a possible allergen hazard or who may suggest a new control. Larger operations may find it helpful to collect data on dietary requests, collating it at least annually, and reviewing it at senior level, particularly with those developing new products and recipes.
*Dr Gowlands research includes consumer and business behaviour, the quality of life and cost of living with food hypersensitivity, understanding and recording severe and fatal reactions and the regulatory context of food allergy.
