Food Allergies and Restaurants, Landmines For Everyone!
I realize that for most families, the decision to eat out and then choosing a restaurant is a little different than in our family. I like to make sure that my kids don't go to a "fast food" restaurant more than once a week. I like places that will have both kid-friendly and adult-friendly selections. But then for us, there's the added issue of NO NUTS! I just exchanged emails with a friend who kidded me that surely, there were acceptably good places to eat in my area of town. Sure there are, but when I eliminate Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, bakeries, coffee shops and ice cream parlors... not so much. She replied, "I didn't even think of that!" Well, according to Emily Le Coz of the Daily Journal in Mississippi, more people are thinking about food allergies. Specifically, restaurant people!
Emily's article reports that restaurant owners and caterers could face more lawsuits stemming from food allergies after the FDA's new Food Labeling Law went into effect this year. At least, this is what the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association says.
As of January 1, manufacturers have had to label all potential allergens in their products, which means that food handlers now have full knowledge of the ingredients they use to prepare a meal. And they can't claim they didn't read the ingredients because of a change in the 2005 FDA Food Code. That change requires a manager on duty to be able to identify the eight major food allergens and to conduct a analysis of all possible cross-contamination between allergens and other foods.
"You have to read the label on all ingredients because the code requires it for cross-contamination," said Jim Bonney, from the Association, who led a one-hour seminar on the new changes Tuesday at the Community Development Foundation. "It's a legal land mine for restaurants, because the restaurant now has prior knowledge that the ingredient can cause an allergy," he said. "If you're in court and you say you didn't know milk was in the ingredients, the lawyer will say, Well, the Food Code requires it.'"
As a restaurant customer, I am personally quite encouraged by the new law. Remember Dining Out with Food Allergies? (see Favorite Posts) If you need a little help... "three-quarters of the deaths from food allergies are caused by prepared foods eaten at restaurants." Well, this new development in the FDA Food Code is a blessing to us who live with the constant threat of anaphylaxis for ourselves or our loved ones.
The National Restaurant Association, as well as its counterpart in Mississippi, already anticipate an increase in such lawsuits and are stepping up their efforts to educate industry professionals.
Seminars like the one in Tupelo are being held across the state to warn restaurant owners and caterers of their new responsibilities. In a short video, the 18 attendees at Tuesday's gathering learned which foods caused 90 percent of allergies and how to prevent a reaction.
The big eight —— peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, wheat and soy top the list of allergens for the more than 6 million people susceptible to them. Food handlers must not only be able to identify them, they must know their various synonyms. Milk, for example, can be listed as whey, curd, lactose, cream, butter, cheese and even cheese flavor.
"My daughter has Celiac, she's allergic to wheat, and you'd be surprised at all the different ingredients for wheat," said Barbara Nielsen, a ServSafe instructor at Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale.
After identifying the allergens, handles must then ensure that they never come into contact with other foods when preparing a meal for someone with a known allergy.
If a restaurant or catering service can't make such a guarantee, they must be prepared to lose a customer, according to the video.
The information didn't seem to surprise any of those watching the video.
"We've already gone through the training and we're reading labels and paying attention and making people aware of it," said Cheryl Dykes, a Sprint Mart employee who teaches ServSafe, a nationally recognized food-safety training and certification program.
"Like the video said, if you lose a customer, you lose a customer."
(But maybe less of them will die!)
Emily's article reports that restaurant owners and caterers could face more lawsuits stemming from food allergies after the FDA's new Food Labeling Law went into effect this year. At least, this is what the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association says.
As of January 1, manufacturers have had to label all potential allergens in their products, which means that food handlers now have full knowledge of the ingredients they use to prepare a meal. And they can't claim they didn't read the ingredients because of a change in the 2005 FDA Food Code. That change requires a manager on duty to be able to identify the eight major food allergens and to conduct a analysis of all possible cross-contamination between allergens and other foods.
"You have to read the label on all ingredients because the code requires it for cross-contamination," said Jim Bonney, from the Association, who led a one-hour seminar on the new changes Tuesday at the Community Development Foundation. "It's a legal land mine for restaurants, because the restaurant now has prior knowledge that the ingredient can cause an allergy," he said. "If you're in court and you say you didn't know milk was in the ingredients, the lawyer will say, Well, the Food Code requires it.'"
As a restaurant customer, I am personally quite encouraged by the new law. Remember Dining Out with Food Allergies? (see Favorite Posts) If you need a little help... "three-quarters of the deaths from food allergies are caused by prepared foods eaten at restaurants." Well, this new development in the FDA Food Code is a blessing to us who live with the constant threat of anaphylaxis for ourselves or our loved ones.
The National Restaurant Association, as well as its counterpart in Mississippi, already anticipate an increase in such lawsuits and are stepping up their efforts to educate industry professionals.
Seminars like the one in Tupelo are being held across the state to warn restaurant owners and caterers of their new responsibilities. In a short video, the 18 attendees at Tuesday's gathering learned which foods caused 90 percent of allergies and how to prevent a reaction.
The big eight —— peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, wheat and soy top the list of allergens for the more than 6 million people susceptible to them. Food handlers must not only be able to identify them, they must know their various synonyms. Milk, for example, can be listed as whey, curd, lactose, cream, butter, cheese and even cheese flavor.
"My daughter has Celiac, she's allergic to wheat, and you'd be surprised at all the different ingredients for wheat," said Barbara Nielsen, a ServSafe instructor at Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale.
After identifying the allergens, handles must then ensure that they never come into contact with other foods when preparing a meal for someone with a known allergy.
If a restaurant or catering service can't make such a guarantee, they must be prepared to lose a customer, according to the video.
The information didn't seem to surprise any of those watching the video.
"We've already gone through the training and we're reading labels and paying attention and making people aware of it," said Cheryl Dykes, a Sprint Mart employee who teaches ServSafe, a nationally recognized food-safety training and certification program.
"Like the video said, if you lose a customer, you lose a customer."
(But maybe less of them will die!)
posted by Ria at 10:25 PM
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