The recent Allergy & FreeFrom Show in London offered a fantastic opportunity to engage with both food allergy customers and businesses, all working towards a common goal: safe and inclusive dining experiences. Food Allergy Aware is dedicated to supporting food businesses in catering safely for diners with food allergies, coeliac disease, and food intolerances.
Auditing for Safety and Compliance
Caroline Benjamin, founder of Food Allergy Aware, played a crucial role at the show, auditing stands selling & sampling food and drink. This process was essential to ensure that all vendors followed strict allergen management and food safety guidelines, safeguarding attendees from potential allergic reactions. Accurate labelling and careful precautions are vital to protecting allergy customers, and we were pleased to see many businesses committed to these standards.
Key Themes from the HASUK Stand
This year, Hospitality Allergen Support [HASUK], a collaboration between Food Allergy Aware and Jacs Allergen Management founded by Jacqui McPeake hosted a stand at the show. We engaged directly with allergy consumers and gathered invaluable feedback through our interactive ‘Post-it note opinion wall.’ With over 250 visitors, the feedback was both insightful and constructive, highlighting key issues and suggestions for improving dining experiences for those with food allergies.
Here are some of the top themes that emerged when eating out with allergies:
Pet Hates – Common Issues When Dining Out with Food Allergies:
- Lack of choice for diners with food allergies and intolerances
- Poor staff knowledge and training on dietary requirements and allergens
- Insufficient information on allergens beyond the common top 14 allergens
Wish List – Best Practices for Allergy-Friendly Dining:
- Enhanced processes to minimize cross-contamination risks.
- Improved staff training on allergens and dietary requirements to reduce stress and anxiety for allergy customers.
- Expanded menu options catering to a range of dietary needs, especially at grab-and-go venues, festivals, and corporate events.
- Clearer allergen labelling, including allergy-free options labelled on menus, or separate menus for specific allergens like dairy or gluten.
If you would like to gather insights and hold working groups with our FHS audience to get feedback on your brand, please do get in touch by emailing Caroline@hasuk.co.uk
We would like to thank Just Love Cakes, who donated vouchers to purchase their amazing FreeFrom celebration cakes and One Aldwych who donated a Dinner for Two for their support in sponsoring our stand. We were able to offer a prize draw to those who participated in our opinion wall.
The Importance of Reporting Near Misses
At the event, we also promoted the HASUK NEW ‘Report It’ tool, which is designed to help and Food Business Operations share issues which could potentially cause harm to the FHS customer to offer guidance to other business’s ‘Food safety is not a competition and sharing is caring’ No one want to hear about fatalities in their own industry so working together we can eliminate anaphylaxis deaths within hospitality settings!
There is also a separate reporting tool for Consumers to report near misses, issues and positive experiences encountered when dining out with food allergies which we will share with the industry’.
Our research revealed that 60% of hospitality staff do not feel confident in catering for diners with allergies, leading to unreported incidents. Without this crucial feedback, businesses miss opportunities to improve their allergen management processes.
The Tragic Loss of Hannah Jacobs: A Call for Improved Training and Communication in Allergen Safety
In light of the recent tragic death of Hannah Jacobs, we are reminded of the critical importance of allergen safety in the hospitality industry. Hannah, a vibrant young woman with her whole life ahead of her, suffered a fatal anaphylactic reaction after being served cow’s milk instead of the plant-based milk her mother had specifically requested for her hot chocolate. This devastating incident highlights the need for better training, communication, and awareness when catering to individuals with food allergies.
A Preventable Tragedy
The inquest into Hannah’s death revealed alarming gaps in the processes and protocols that should have been in place to prevent such a tragic outcome. A simple mistake—a mix-up between plant-based and cow’s milk—proved fatal, underlining how even small errors can have life-threatening consequences for those with severe allergies. This case reinforces the urgent need for businesses to take food allergies seriously and ensure that their staff are properly trained and equipped to handle allergen requests with the utmost care.
The Need for Better Training and Communication
The findings of Hannah’s inquest highlighted several key areas where improvements must be made:
Staff Training: Every member of the food service team, from kitchen staff to front-of-house personnel, must be trained in allergen management. Understanding the risks associated with food allergies and how to handle special requests is crucial to preventing accidents.
Clear Communication: Ensuring clear communication between customers, staff, and kitchen teams is essential. Allergen requests must be accurately conveyed and double-checked to prevent dangerous mistakes.
Protocols and Procedures: Businesses must have strict protocols in place for handling allergen requests. This includes clear labelling, segregating ingredients to avoid cross-contamination, and using dedicated equipment to prepare allergy-safe meals.
By prioritizing these practices, businesses can significantly reduce the risk of similar tragedies occurring in the future. It’s not just about compliance—it’s about safeguarding lives.
How You Can Make a Difference
For food business owners, managers, and food service professionals, this tragedy serves as a powerful reminder to reassess your allergen management practices. Ensure your team is adequately trained and that communication channels are open and clear. These steps can be the difference between life and death for a customer with severe allergies.
To read more about Hannah Jacobs’ case and the inquest findings, click here.
Moving Forward Together
As we continue to advocate for better allergen management across the hospitality industry, we invite you to stay connected with Food Allergy Aware. If you know of any businesses that could benefit from our allergen management support, please direct them to our website at foodallergyaware.co.uk , where they can access resources and guidance.
Together, we can make dining out a safer and more enjoyable experience for everyone. For further updates and information, be sure to sign up for our newsletter, and don’t forget to report your dining experiences to help improve the industry!
Contact us today to see how we can help you. To get Call us today for a free 30 minute review and to see how we can help you 07732637292.
To book a FREE 30 minute slot to discuss your issues please click here
In addition, you can book a 60 minute Power hour at £120.00, one off fee to review your Allergen Policy, or Allergen Matrix, or discuss a specific allergen issue. We can get you started on producing an allergen matrix and help you to get the pages and logo’s set up on your documents Please click here to book the call
We look forward to hearing from you.
Caroline and the Food Allergy Aware Team
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