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Food Allergy Death.
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This was of course, an avoidable tragedy.
But should people in the catering trade have to shoulder the responsibility of knowing all the ingredients in everything they sell?
Is eating out when you have a potentially life threatening allergy, worth the risk?
This was of course, an avoidable tragedy.
But should people in the catering trade have to shoulder the responsibility of knowing all the ingredients in everything they sell?
Is eating out when you have a potentially life threatening allergy, worth the risk?
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I doubt very much that most young kids serving up that slop in the junk food chains in which they work have much idea what is in the various ingredients any more than they know the dietary anomalies of each of their customers needs. Unless the customer discloses their allergies then tough. They are on their own and it is incumbent on the customer To risk it or leave it. I wouldn't go to a picnic on a hot summers day without an epi-pen if I suffered wasp sting allergy. As sad as this case is, it is about time young adults learnt their own limitations.
My grandson has a severe peanut allergy, been hospitalised with bad reaction. The first time it happened was when he was 5 and ate peanut butter. He's 8 now and it's ruddy hard work, can't rely on even a plate of chips not having been fried in ground nut oil. We can watch him now but we do worry how he will deal with it when he's a teenager and out with mates.
"Those selling food should most definitely know what ingredients are in it"
Sorry, but that is never going to happen. As NJ says, consumers will always have to take the responsibility for these matters on their own shoulders.
Loose food products packed for sale on site don't require disclosure of possible allergens contained within. They have never done so, but more importantly, have proved and are continuing to prove, a major problem for the FSA and other regulatory bodies in the UK and Europe, when it comes to deciding how to provide allergen information to consumers.
One would think it should be simple matter of having a list of potential allergens behind the counter or on a wall etc for the consumer to view and come to a decision. It doesn't work. Ingredients change seasonally, lists get removed accidentally or deliberately, staff are not as au fait as they should be on allergens, seasonal staff are indifferent on the matter and a whole host of other reasons. That's even before we take into account the pressure shop staff are under on a busy day.
Last Sunday, I bought a suet crusted pork pie at an indoor/outdoor market in Carew, Pembrokeshire, one of my favourite outdoor markets. I know the stallholder well, but I can assure you, listing all the possible allergens in meat pies over and above the legislated 14 required by the FSA is next to impossible. What would happen if the stallholder provide me with the list of 14 on a tick-box format and a 15th allergen that I was sensitive to, made me ill? Gelatine, a major ingredient in pork pies, has been known to cause an allergic reaction, but is not on that list of 14. Moreover, add a dash of Worcester Sauce to the pie and at a stroke, a whole host of other possible allergens contained within the sauce come into play.
As a scientist, I can assure you that I can think of at least twenty compounds in that pork pie that could have resulted in an allergic reaction in me, none of which are in that list of 14.
Simplistic methods of addressing the inclusion of potential allergens in products as undertaken by Pret etc are admirable and will go a long way towards preventing further tragedies. Requesting information from staff is always a good idea. However, these will never be the answer entirely: potential cross contamination in small, confined kitchen areas during preparation alone will see to that.
Sorry, but that is never going to happen. As NJ says, consumers will always have to take the responsibility for these matters on their own shoulders.
Loose food products packed for sale on site don't require disclosure of possible allergens contained within. They have never done so, but more importantly, have proved and are continuing to prove, a major problem for the FSA and other regulatory bodies in the UK and Europe, when it comes to deciding how to provide allergen information to consumers.
One would think it should be simple matter of having a list of potential allergens behind the counter or on a wall etc for the consumer to view and come to a decision. It doesn't work. Ingredients change seasonally, lists get removed accidentally or deliberately, staff are not as au fait as they should be on allergens, seasonal staff are indifferent on the matter and a whole host of other reasons. That's even before we take into account the pressure shop staff are under on a busy day.
Last Sunday, I bought a suet crusted pork pie at an indoor/outdoor market in Carew, Pembrokeshire, one of my favourite outdoor markets. I know the stallholder well, but I can assure you, listing all the possible allergens in meat pies over and above the legislated 14 required by the FSA is next to impossible. What would happen if the stallholder provide me with the list of 14 on a tick-box format and a 15th allergen that I was sensitive to, made me ill? Gelatine, a major ingredient in pork pies, has been known to cause an allergic reaction, but is not on that list of 14. Moreover, add a dash of Worcester Sauce to the pie and at a stroke, a whole host of other possible allergens contained within the sauce come into play.
As a scientist, I can assure you that I can think of at least twenty compounds in that pork pie that could have resulted in an allergic reaction in me, none of which are in that list of 14.
Simplistic methods of addressing the inclusion of potential allergens in products as undertaken by Pret etc are admirable and will go a long way towards preventing further tragedies. Requesting information from staff is always a good idea. However, these will never be the answer entirely: potential cross contamination in small, confined kitchen areas during preparation alone will see to that.
Outlets aren't expected to know the many hundreds or more possible allergens there are,, there is a core of 14 and plenty of resurces to help them in training up staff and labelling etc.
Not a business I'd go into these days.
https:/
Not a business I'd go into these days.
https:/
It makes me wonder where all our Brits dare go on their holidays!. Our friends across Le Manche,as Boris calls them, accuse us Brits as too lazy to learn Europese and expect everybody in Europe to speaka da Engleesh. How the heck do our Europhiles who wish to remain but don't speak forrin manage to eat in these alien establishments? Please, Please, Please, don't tell me there is always a McDonalds wherever you go. I defy anyone to go up into the mountains and hinterlands of Crete and ask ,in a Taverna, what ingredients are in their Moussaka.
Mamyalynne, that "core" selection as you term it leaves out a number of known allergens. There is evidence that complacency on this issue is present within the food industry and this was not the intention when the relevant FSA committee chose those 14.
I'm aware of situations where retail staff have been told that as long as some ingredient is not amongst those 14 allergens, then the product can be regarded as safe. Training staff via resources as you term it is next to useless if the trainer has no more knowledge of allergens than the staff they are training.
Labelling is not a legal requirement for food products sold loose regardless of whether they are sold on a market stall or a supermarket. At a stroke, this negates the best intentions of informing the public of possible allergens within the product purchased. Besides labelling law is extremely complex and even when products disclose on packaging an ingredient list, food manufacturers are circumventing these matters regularly.
I'm aware of situations where retail staff have been told that as long as some ingredient is not amongst those 14 allergens, then the product can be regarded as safe. Training staff via resources as you term it is next to useless if the trainer has no more knowledge of allergens than the staff they are training.
Labelling is not a legal requirement for food products sold loose regardless of whether they are sold on a market stall or a supermarket. At a stroke, this negates the best intentions of informing the public of possible allergens within the product purchased. Besides labelling law is extremely complex and even when products disclose on packaging an ingredient list, food manufacturers are circumventing these matters regularly.
Bigbad....... I was a peanut addict........three or four large packets a week. In my mid thirties, hosting a party, I ate my usual peanuts. Something happened that night and I developed an allergy to them though I didn’t know it at the time...or for a while after.
The allergy presented as swelling of the throat and severe muscle and joint pain but as these came on some time after eating the peanuts it made the cause of my problems difficult to pinpoint.
After a long time and far too many medical tests a throwaway remark made by my husband led me to suspect peanuts.
I decided to experiment (don’t try this at home!). I didn’t eat peanuts for a few weeks then had a packet. That was when I had the anaphylactic reaction. My doctor explained why this had happened and that further reactions could be more severe. Too long winded for here but the first time of eating something to which you are allergic can often be mild......the severity builds up.
Never eat out? How different life would be. Skip the pub meal on a Friday evening maybe....but those special occasions? Birthday treats with children and grandchildren.......my son’s wedding reception..... seeing my daughter graduate miles from home......holidays.
Of course I eat out on those occasions. I take responsibility for what I eat but I expect responsibility from those who cook for me as long as I inform them.
Retrocop.......I’m not a Brit.... I am a remainer though I don’t see what that has to do with my allergy or ability to “eat in these alien establishments “.
Wherever I holiday I learn the words for peanut allergy. It’s very simple if you think about it. I don’t need to be fluent in the language of every country I visit..... just sensible enough to make sure I know enough to keep me safe and nicely fed.
The allergy presented as swelling of the throat and severe muscle and joint pain but as these came on some time after eating the peanuts it made the cause of my problems difficult to pinpoint.
After a long time and far too many medical tests a throwaway remark made by my husband led me to suspect peanuts.
I decided to experiment (don’t try this at home!). I didn’t eat peanuts for a few weeks then had a packet. That was when I had the anaphylactic reaction. My doctor explained why this had happened and that further reactions could be more severe. Too long winded for here but the first time of eating something to which you are allergic can often be mild......the severity builds up.
Never eat out? How different life would be. Skip the pub meal on a Friday evening maybe....but those special occasions? Birthday treats with children and grandchildren.......my son’s wedding reception..... seeing my daughter graduate miles from home......holidays.
Of course I eat out on those occasions. I take responsibility for what I eat but I expect responsibility from those who cook for me as long as I inform them.
Retrocop.......I’m not a Brit.... I am a remainer though I don’t see what that has to do with my allergy or ability to “eat in these alien establishments “.
Wherever I holiday I learn the words for peanut allergy. It’s very simple if you think about it. I don’t need to be fluent in the language of every country I visit..... just sensible enough to make sure I know enough to keep me safe and nicely fed.
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