Safe Plates for Home Food Handlers Module 6

Safe Plates for Home Food Handlers Module 6: Food Allergens

Case Study

What Happened • 17 -year-old Joe has several severe food allergies • A few bites into the sandwich he realizes that something isn’t right • His throat and lips start to itch and swell, making it hard to breathe • Allergic reaction had to be treated with Epinephrine and required a trip to the emergency room

What They Found • The homemade sandwiches hadn’t been labeled • Joe accidentally grabbed his sister’s peanut butter and jelly sandwich instead of his sandwich made with sunflower seed butter • Joe’s reaction was serious after a couple bites

Discussion What would you do to prevent something like this from happening in class or at home?

Learning Objectives • Identify the eight major food allergens in the United States • Know that food allergens can impact job duties including preparing food, handling customer information needs and responding to suspected allergic reactions

Key Terms • Cross-contact – when an allergen is unintentionally transferred from a food containing an allergen to a food that does not contain the allergen • Food allergy – an abnormal immune response to proteins in food • Food intolerance – inability to digest chemicals in food that leads to uncomfortable symptoms

Food Allergens

Common Food Allergens Can you name any common food allergens?

Reactions to Food • Food allergy – the body's immune system has an abnormal reaction to proteins in a food – Reactions can be life threatening • Food intolerance – the body doesn’t digest certain chemicals properly – Cause uncomfortable symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea – Examples: Wheat gluten, lactose intolerance

Allergic Reactions • Allergic reactions can be mild to very severe • Symptoms can be almost immediate, or take up to a couple hours • Mild reactions can include itching, eye and throat irritation, hives, swelling • Severe reactions can include anaphylactic shock, closing of the airway, cardiac arrest

Food Allergies

Preventing Cross-Contact Cross-contact occurs when an allergen is unintentionally transferred from a food containing an allergen to a food that does not contain the allergen. Cooking and sanitizing do not eliminate the risk. How do you think you can control allergens in these • Storage – separate and properly label allergens areas? • Handling – clean utensils and surfaces after contact with allergens • Storage • Surfaces – Clean between allergen an non-allergen foods • Handling • • Surfaces Handwashing – both preparation and service • • Handwashing Buffet service – label service utensils and communicate with customers • Buffet service

Handling and Serving Allergens • Be sure to wash hands when switching from allergen to non-allergen foods • Use separate preparation and cooking surfaces or clean between foods • Use separate utensils when serving food • Label or color code to prevent confusion

Reacting to Emergencies • Plan ahead for a quick response, including who will call 911 • Understand what may happen – Epinephrine injections – Customers’ reactions • Alert a responsible adult if you suspect a allergic reaction

Discussion You’re having a cook out at your house. Your cousin is allergic to dairy and asked about whether or not there is any dairy in the homemade burgers. You think the burger should be fine without cheese but you aren’t positive. How should you respond? Where could allergens be hiding?

Review • Eight major allergens • Preventing cross-contact during preparation and handling • Answering customer questions • Reacting to emergencies