Expert Insight
Active Allergen Awareness
With the introduction of Natasha’s Law on October 1st, 2021, allergens are again being highlighted across the hospitality industry and the wider news. An estimated 1-2% of adults and 5-8% of children suffer from food allergies in the UK. Hospital admissions due to allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock are also on the rise, so it’s critical that hospitality providers are actively managing allergens within their business – protecting their customers, but also their own reputations.1
PREPARING FOR NATASHA’S LAW The new law affects the requirements for food labelling on pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) food. It requires businesses to provide a full list of ingredients in order of quantity, with any of the 14 key allergens emphasised (such as in bold, italics or a different colour), on the packaging of food prepared on the premises for same-day sale.2
All businesses,
small or large, who serve PPDS food need to prepare early, as meeting the regulations will require conversations and collaboration with suppliers, managing and updating ingredients and allergens within the system, updates on compliance and supply checks, preparation for labelling, and education across all levels of
10 October 2021
www.venue-insight.com
ACTIVE ALLERGEN AWARENESS Whether or not the new law applies to the food you serve, now is a good opportunity to review and educate staff on the importance of effective allergen management across all areas of your business, from those working front of house, to staff members working in food preparation.
the business – these aren’t changes that you can make overnight.
This useful tool can help businesses determine whether the food they are selling is PPDS, and therefore subject to the new regulations:
www.food.gov.uk/allergen- ingredients-food-labelling- decision-tool
written by Lolly CEO,
Peter Moore
natashas-law.com
Allergen law has long been in effect for food that is non-prepacked and loose, for instance items ordered from a menu in a restaurant. Systems and processes should be well established within any hospitality locations to meet these regulations. However, with all the complications from the pandemic, such as staff changes, menu changes and ordering system updates it would be helpful for your team to refresh their knowledge of allergen regulations and the processes within your organisation.
Comprehensive guidance on best practice for handling allergens and providing allergen information can be found here:
www.food.gov.uk/ business-guidance/allergen- guidance-for-food-businesses
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 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
