With Food Allergy Week currently taking place, from 26 May-1 June, Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA) and the National Allergy Council have called for mandatory allergy training of food service staff, urging regulators to treat food allergen management as seriously as the responsible service of alcohol.
This week is Food Allergy Week – an awareness week to promote understanding of food allergy to help protect those at risk by educating and supporting both people with food allergy and anyone that serves them food. This theme this year is: ‘When eating out: Always ask. Always tell’.
More than 1.5 million Australians have a food allergy, one of the highest rates in the world, which is why these organisations have come together to promote the importance of asking about food allergies, and to encourage those with food allergies to always speak up about their food allergy.
The push by A&AA and the National Allergy Council follows the results of two new surveys that highlight gaps in food allergen management and confidence in the system.
An A&AA survey showed that 98 per cent of people living with allergies felt anxious and stressed when it came to eating out.
This statistic seems strongly justified when a survey by the National Allergy Council found only a third of food service staff surveyed always asked customers if they had a food allergy, and half didn’t feel confident in answering questions about whether there was a food allergen, such as peanuts, tree nuts, or dairy, in a menu item.
A&AA CEO and National Allergy Council director, Maria Said, said food allergen management training was crucial to make it easier and safer for those living with allergies to eat out with more confidence.
“Training food service staff about allergens should be taken just as seriously as meeting training requirements for serving alcohol. It should be mandatory and there’s really no excuse when the recommended training is available and is free.
“In most cases, those not wanting to speak up about their allergy did not want to be a burden or draw attention to themselves. And among the under 18’s, the main barrier was embarrassment.
“Speaking up is vital. You need to ask questions and make an informed decision on the food you eat, and always carry your adrenaline injector and ASCIA Action Plan with you. There is never a 100 per cent guarantee an allergic reaction won’t happen so we all need to be prepared.”
The survey found those with a food allergy, and their parents or caregivers, 86 per cent believe it would be easier to tell people about their food allergy if there was “more food service training” on food allergies, and 80 per cent “if food service staff asked about allergies” more proactively.
Due to this, A&AA recommended all food service professionals undertake one of the free “All about Allergens” courses provided by the National Allergy Council, which are tailored to different food service settings and available at foodallergytraining.org.au.
National Allergy Council senior project officer and dietician, Ingrid Roche, said the survey results show there is room for improvement in the food service sector.
“Everyone needs to be allergy aware because we know that complacency increases the risk of an allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis. In Victoria alone, 34 per cent of anaphylaxis presentations to emergency departments last year were caused by food purchased from food service providers.
“The All about Allergens online training was designed in consultation with key stakeholders and users of the courses. With 10 different courses available – there is a course for everyone working in food service. We also designed it to be fast, easy and free to make it as accessible to as many people as possible.”
