Food allergens


time-pressured or under-staffed, allowing them to have peace of mind and not risking procedures being missed due to busy schedules. Even then, it is always advised to cook allergen free meals before or above other foods to avoid the risk of contamination from spillage – ideally a practice that should also be applied during service. Key advice to care homes is to be ever vigilant around the construction on their menus to ensure the dietary needs of each resident are met in the safest possible way, with prepared meals a great option to achieve this.


Accurate labelling Updated best practice guidance from The Food Standards Agency6


The biggest challenge for kitchen teams is cross-contamination


always be readily available for individuals, ideally without the need to ask for it, such as by being displayed on menus or placed next to the food if choosing from a counter. Allergen information can be displayed using words or symbols with accompanying words (ensuring that the name of allergen forms part of it) and allergens should be emphasised, for example in bold or underlined.


states that accurate allergen information should The 14 allergens


An allergen is something that would normally be harmless to your body, but in some cases can instead cause an adverse reaction. In the case of a food allergen, the reaction occurs due to the immune system mistakenly identifying a particular protein in a food as harmful – causing an immune response to mount against it. There have been a range of specific foods identified that are more likely to cause an allergic reaction, and therefore must be declared by food law, known as the 14 major allergens. These are the following: n celery n cereals containing gluten (such as wheat, barley, and oats)


n crustaceans (such as prawns, crabs, and lobsters)


n eggs n fish n lupin n milk n molluscs (such as mussels and oysters) n mustard n peanuts n sesame n soybeans n sulphur dioxide and sulphites (if the sulphur dioxide and sulphites are at a concentration of more than ten parts per million)


n tree nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, and macadamia nuts)


38


The guidance also suggests that written allergen information should be underpinned by a conversation with staff to make sure that all necessary information has been exchanged. Given the rise in allergens and presence of high-profile, tragic cases in the media, many homes have already altered their approach to catering for food hypersensitivities in ways such as having clear allergen lists shown on all menus in the home, having lists on display for staff in the kitchens and an increase in Allergy and Food Safety training.


Regardless of whether scratch cooking or using pre-prepared meals, regular risk assessments of a home’s food handling and preparation processes should be conducted. This can help identify potential hazards and areas for improvement in managing food allergies.


Trusted and tested


Managing food safety is of critical importance within care home catering, particularly for those residents already vulnerable in health. Ensuring that food is prepared, stored and served safely should always be of top priority to keep both residents and staff members safe. apetito and Wiltshire Farm Foods Professional go beyond the basic legislation to provide this complete confidence and peace of mind. A sample of every batch of meals is tested in its on-site Campden BRI approved laboratories for pathogens, and for the absence of allergens in the Allergen-Free range of meals. It also operates a unique positive-release system that involves quarantining every batch until there is full confidence that they are safe to eat.


By paying close attention to these key


aspects and implementing appropriate measures, care homes can effectively cater to the dietary needs of each resident and navigate those living with a food hypersensitivity to create a safe dining environment for all residents.


References 1 Allergy UK. Statistics and Figures. https:// www.allergyuk.org/about-allergy/ statistics-and-figures/


2 Nourishing Lives: A New Era of Dining in Care Homes. apetito and Care England. https://carehomes.apetito.co.uk/ futureofcateringguide-1-0


3 Allergen Guidance for Institutional Carers. Food Standards Agency. https:// www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/ allergen-guidance-for-institutional- caterers#care-homes


4 Chapter 5: Food allergies, intolerances and other hypersensitivities. Food Standards Agency. https://www.food. gov.uk/research/chapter-5-food- allergies-intolerances-and-other- hypersensitivities


5 Guidance on ‘Free-From’ Allergen Claims. Food and Drink Federation and BRC. https:// www.fdf.org.uk/globalassets/resources/ publications/brc-free-from-guidance.pdf


6 Allergen Information for Non-Prepacked Foods Best Practice. Food Standards Agency. https://www.food.gov.uk/business- guidance/allergen-information-for-non- prepacked-foods-best-practice-summary


n


Sophia Cornelius


Sophia Cornelius is a registered dietitian for leading care home meals provider apetito | Wiltshire Farm Foods. Sophia is a member of the BDA with several years’ clinical experience in a variety of settings including acute and community dietetics, and working across a range of specialties including renal and care of the elderly.


www.thecarehomeenvironment.com June 2025


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46