Food Allergen Awareness

Overview

In the UK, food allergens and the risks they pose have become a major public health concern. With increasing cases of food hypersensitivities and stricter laws like Natasha’s Law, allergen management has gained critical importance. Greater emphasis is now placed on educating food business operators and consumers about allergen dangers, proper labelling, preventing cross-contamination, and ensuring clear communication to enhance food safety and minimise the risk of accidental exposure.

This course provides an overview of food hypersensitivity and key allergen legislation. It outlines strategies for managing allergens at every stage, from menu planning to end-ofservice cleaning, and applies these practices across various settings.

Outline Learning Objectives:

• Identify the key aspects of food hypersensitivity conditions, including definitions, common triggers, symptoms, and the severity of reactions
• Explore UK legislation on allergen disclosure and crosscontamination
• Working through a case study involving providing a simple café lunch to a customer with food hypersensitivities, which applies knowledge from start to finish
• Adopting a food allergen management mindset as you work through alternative scenarios

Audience:

This online learning course applies to all employees that work with food and would be a useful course to include as part of onboarding training.