Food allergens
From kitchen to table: the importance of allergen care
Sophia Cornelius, development dietitian at apetito and Wiltshire Farm Foods Professional, looks at some key considerations for care homes when catering for residents living with a food hypersensitivity
Allergens are extremely prevalent in the UK, with 44 per cent of adults – and rising – living with one or more allergies.1 While there are many types of allergies, food allergies are one of the most widely recognised, with three-quarters of care homes reporting that one in four of their residents require allergen-free meals.2
For
most, an allergic reaction will be mild or moderate, but if the reaction is severe – for example, if someone is anaphylactic – then it could be fatal.
It is essential that care homes have a robust allergy management policy in place to ensure the health and safety of both residents and staff. The food standards agency (FSA) states that a resident’s dietary needs should be documented in their care plan and processes put in place to ensure their needs are communicated to those serving the food.3
The policy should include procedures for identifying and documenting residents with a food hypersensitivity, which includes food allergies, intolerances, and coeliac disease,4
upon admission into the home, and ensuring this information is clearly displayed for all members of catering staff. This is particularly important for care homes experiencing a high turnover of staff, where individuals may be catered for by different people on a regular basis. The policy also must include measures in the kitchen to prevent cross-contamination and accidental exposure, which can occur at any time during the cooking process.
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Care homes should provide comprehensive staff training on food allergies
Increasing staff awareness To reduce the risk of a resident being exposed to an allergen, care homes should provide comprehensive staff training on food allergies. This should include how to recognise symptoms of an allergic reaction so that action can be taken quickly, how to read food labels effectively, and how to handle and prepare allergen-free meals safely to avoid cross-contamination. Understanding the distinction of ‘made without’ and ‘free from’ label claims is another vital area of training when catering for residents with a hypersensitivity, as misinterpretation could lead to unnecessary restrictions, confusion, or have grave consequences. Food should also never
be assumed to be free from an allergen unless it has clear ‘free from’ labelling; for example, a meal that is suitable for a vegan diet should not be assumed as free from egg and milk.
Although there is no specific law
covering free-from claims (except for gluten free), free-from claims are regulated in accordance with the provisions of general food law and the regulations on food information to consumers.5
These laws and
regulations state that food must be safe for consumption and that product information is not misleading and is accurately communicated. Free-from meals are those that are
free from the stated allergen and have undergone testing to verify this claim (i.e. there are no traces of the stated allergen remaining, or the amount is within the legal threshold). Regulatory guidance recommends that free-from products are completely free from the specified
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com June 2025
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