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Five common allergen mistakes small food businesses make, and how to prevent them.
Improve Allergen Safety
Allergen management checklist for small food businesses
Author: Natalie Stanton MCIEH CEnvH
Food allergies, intolerances and coeliac disease affect millions of people in the UK. For some Food Hypersensitive (FHS) customers, even tiny amounts of an allergen can cause a serious or life-threatening reaction.
This checklist is designed to help small food businesses, including cafés, takeaways, bakeries, pubs, mobile caterers, market stalls and food trucks, review their allergen management procedures and identify areas for improvement.
1. Allergen information
☐ Do you know which of the 14 named allergens are present in your dishes, drinks and ingredients?
☐ Do you have accurate allergen information available for customers?
☐ Is allergen information regularly reviewed and updated when recipes, ingredients or suppliers change?
☐ Are ingredient labels and product specifications checked when deliveries arrive, including for repeat orders?
☐ Are substitutions from suppliers checked for allergen changes, and is allergen information updated accordingly before use?
☐ Do staff know where to find allergen information?
☐ If allergen information is provided digitally, do you also have an accurate hard copy backup available?
☐ Do your staff know they must never guess or make assumptions when giving allergen information to customers?
☐ If you cannot confirm a dish is free from a particular allergen, do you clearly communicate this to the customer?
☐ Are supplier “may contain” allergen statements identified, and communicated clearly to customers?
2. Staff knowledge and communication
☐ Have all staff received allergen training relevant to their role?
☐ Do staff understand the difference between food allergy, food intolerance and coeliac disease?
☐ Do staff understand that even small amounts of an allergen can cause serious harm to a FHS customer?
☐ Are staff confident having conversations with customers about allergen requirements?
☐ Do staff know who to speak to if they are unsure about allergen information?
☐ Do front of house and kitchen staff communicate allergen orders clearly and accurately?
☐ Are allergen orders clearly identified and passed to the kitchen safely?
☐ Do staff repeat allergen requirements back to the customer to confirm understanding?
☐ Are customers signposted to speak to staff about food allergies and intolerances before ordering?
☐ Do managers supervise allergen procedures including during busy periods?
3. Preventing cross- contamination (also known as cross-contact)
☐ Are allergenic ingredients stored in sealed, labelled containers?
☐ Are allergenic ingredients separated from non-allergenic foods where possible?
☐ Are work surfaces, utensils and equipment thoroughly cleaned before preparing allergen-free meals?
☐ Do staff wash their hands properly between tasks, after handling allergenic ingredients and before preparing a dish for a FHS customer?
☐ Are separate utensils, chopping boards or equipment used when preparing a dish for a FHS customer?
☐ Are shared fryers, oils, grills or cooking water assessed for allergen cross-contamination risks? Are these risks clearly communicated to the customer?
☐ Are garnishes, sauces and toppings checked carefully for allergens before serving?
☐ Are allergen-free meals prepared separately?
☐ If a mistake happens during preparing a meal for a FHS customer, is the dish discarded and remade from scratch?
☐ Do staff understand that cooking does not destroy allergens?
4. Cleaning and hygiene
☐ Are cleaning procedures effective at removing allergens, not just bacteria?
☐ Do staff follow a two-stage cleaning process using detergent followed by disinfectant or sanitiser?
☐ Are spillages cleaned up immediately?
☐ Are reusable cloths managed properly to avoid spreading allergens?
☐ Are food containers properly cleaned before reuse?
☐ Are tables, trays and highchairs cleaned effectively between customers?
☐ Are allergen-free meals handled with clean hands and clean utensils?
5. Takeaway, delivery and online orders
☐ Is allergen information available before a customer places an order online or by phone?
☐ Is allergen information also provided at the point of delivery or collection?
☐ Are takeaway allergen orders clearly labelled?
☐ Do delivery staff understand the importance of keeping allergen orders separate?
☐ If using third-party delivery platforms, is allergen information accurate and up to date?
☐ Do you have a clear procedure for handling allergen requests placed online or by telephone?
6. Emergency preparedness
☐ Do staff know the signs of a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)?
☐ Do staff know what to do if a customer is having an allergic reaction?
☐ Is there a procedure for reporting and investigating allergen incidents or near misses?
☐ Are allergen incidents reviewed to identify improvements and prevent a recurrence?
7. Management and review
☐ Do you have an allergen policy or documented allergen procedure?
☐ Are allergen controls included within your food safety management system or HACCP
procedures?
☐ Are allergen procedures reviewed regularly and updated when needed?
☐ Are refresher training sessions carried out regularly?
☐ Are staff encouraged to report allergen concerns and near misses?
☐ Do managers regularly check that allergen procedures are being followed in practice?
☐ Are customer complaints or allergen incidents investigated thoroughly?
☐ Are records kept of recipe changes, supplier substitutions and allergen incidents?
Common summer and event season risks
During summer events, festivals, fairs and busy trading periods, allergen risks can increase.
Consider the following:
- Temporary or seasonal staff may need additional allergen training and supervision.
- Shared utensils, condiment stations and self-service areas can increase cross contamination risks.
- Mobile catering units and temporary stalls may have limited preparation and cleaning space.
- Outdoor cooking areas, barbeques and shared fryers can increase allergen risks.
- Busy service periods can lead to communication failures between front and back of house.
- Menu changes, specials and ingredient substitutions should always be checked for allergens and allergen information updated accordingly.
- Allergen information should remain available even during busy service or poor internet connection.
- Customers should never be discouraged from asking allergen questions, even during peak trading times.
- If you cannot safely provide a meal for a customer’s allergen requirements, explain this clearly and honestly so they can make an informed choice.
Further information and support
Whether you’re a home baker selling on social media or a small takeaway selling through a website, understand your legal allergen responsibilities for distance selling.
Learn More Here