WELCOME TO THE ROARING TWENTIES-PART 2!
Once again Allergen Accreditation has put together a brief resource pack and some posters for use by management and crews in your food service and licenced businesses.
In January (and throughout the year) we are asking you to review what you do, refresh your training and update your procedures and policies on allergen management.
Our theme for 2020 is Allergen Culture- you have food safety bedded into your operation and allergen management needs to have the same kudos when it comes to all your business activities including purchasing, storage, preparation, presentation, training and cleaning schedules.
Allergens and intolerances are now a day to day aspect for any catering business and evidence in the education sector, particularly, shows more and more customers are presenting themselves with special diet requests.
Similarly, there is an alarming growth in reported hospitalisations of consumers who have had a reaction and required treatment.
As caterers we have a duty of care to protect consumers and our businesses. When asked about the difference between retail and food service ceo of Allergen Accreditation, Julian Edwards, comments “We decant ingredients from packaging, create dishes and serve these to paying customers. It therefore becomes the caterer’s responsibility to inform the customer what allergenic ingredients are contained in the dish”
At the same time this “growth” represents an opportunity for those at the forefront of allergen management to benefit greatly when they can offer a safe place to eat and drink.
Not every diet can be catered for and our mantra of Honesty and Courtesy when it comes to customer care is of paramount importance for a business’s reputation.
Food Allergen Customer Excellence does not base its methodology on “we cannot guarantee” or similar disclaimers but offers customers a very positive: “We’ve Got This Covered”!
By October 2021 businesses that pre-pack for direct sales- think sandwiches, salad pots, general grab and go and delivered meals, will need to label these items with a full ingredients list.
Commonly known as PPDS (Pre-Packed for Direct sale) this will be a major change for caterers. Businesses must investigate these new requirements and Technical Resources will be available via the Food Standards Agency.
With the fast growing delivered food industry; all businesses will need to review their labelling policies to ensure that they comply with these news regulations. So, if your pub, restaurant or any business with a capacity to outsource wants to get on board, with one of the fastest growing sectors, it will be worth looking at labelling software and hardware early.
We have been working with many organisations and can assist with the development of this. Why don’t you lead the way now and create a competitive edge, instead of wating until it becomes statutory?
Please do make use of our resources, tell us what you are doing on Twitter @AllergenAwareUK with the hashtag #allerjanuary and here’s to a successful and safe 2020!
The more we learn… the better we cater!
