Awareness raising initiative carried out for Allergy Awareness Week

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Trading Standards Team is reminding residents and businesses to be allergy aware following a survey at a number of food premises in the midst of Allergy Awareness Week. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To mark Allergy Awareness Week, Trading Standards Officers from Caerphilly Council carried out a test purchase operation to assess the allergen awareness of staff at food premises throughout the borough. This involved a member of the team posing as a customer with allergies to gauge the levels of compliance within the takeaway and restaurant trade. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Results from the survey showed that over half of the premises visited had not signposted where customers could obtain allergen information and in one premises, incorrect allergen information was displayed. In a quarter of the premises visited, staff were unsure of what allergens were in the food offered for sale and had failed to check whether allergens were present before supplying the food. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Checks were also conducted in relation to placing takeaway orders over the telephone. During this part of the operation it was discovered that none of the food businesses who were contacted enquired as to whether the caller had any specific dietary requirements. Half of those telephoned were unsure about whether there were any allergens in the food that had been ordered, as well as failing to make any checks to establish whether allergens were present. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Samples were taken to assess the presence of specified allergens. Of the eleven samples taken, only one sample failed due to containing gluten when the trader stated that it did not. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In December 2014, the rules for labelling food changed, which means that businesses selling loose food must provide information to customers about 14 specific substances or products that cause allergies or intolerances. If the information is not provided ‘up front’ to customers, then businesses must clearly signpost where this information can be obtained. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Nigel George, Cabinet Member with the responsibility for Trading Standards said: “It is imperative that food business operators train their staff, as this could be potentially life-saving. All food sold in restaurants and take away establishments should be clearly signposted to display any allergens, or the information held somewhere easily accessible to members of the public. Allergy Awareness Week looks to raise awareness of this important issue, in order to save lives and protect allergy sufferers”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The 14 most common food allergens are: peanuts, tree nuts, milk, cereals containing gluten, eggs, crustaceans, molluscs, fish, soya, sesame, sulphur dioxide/sulphites, celery, mustard, lupin. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Allergy resources and a link to free allergen training can be found on the Food Standards Agency website: www.food.gov.uk ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Any businesses wishing to obtain further guidance on allergens or consumers wishing to report an issue should contact Caerphilly Trading Standards on 01495 235291. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​