Restaurants need a plan for preparing allergen-free food

Food allergies and intolerance are familiar buzz words in the food service industry today and with good reason.

Data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey shows an increase during the past decade of hospitalizations due to food allergies.

This increase in food allergies is especially prevalent among preschool-age children and older kids, and it affects more than just the kids and their parents. Anyone preparing food or eating in the vicinity of someone with an allergy or intolerance has a role to play to keep the food safe to eat.

Many people use the terms food allergy and food intolerance interchangeably, despite big differences in how each affects their bodies.

An allergy is a response from a person’s immune system when the body perceives a normally safe substance as foreign and dangerous. The body responds to this perceived threat with a variety of reactions, which can range from a rash to nausea and vomiting, and even in some cases life-threatening anaphylactic shock. This is when the tissue around the windpipe swells and cuts off air to the lungs, resulting in the inability of a person to breathe.

Most food allergies are to eight common foods: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat and soy. Just a hint of the food can be enough to cause a problem for someone with an allergy.

An intolerance is a negative response in the digestive tract when the body is not capable of processing a certain food or ingredient. For instance, lactose intolerance results in gas, abdominal cramps and diarrhea when the carbohydrate in dairy (lactose) is not digested into small enough particles to be absorbed from the small intestine. With gluten intolerance, even a trace amount of gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats) can damage the lining of the intestine and cause a variety of digestive and health issues.

Many people with a food allergy or intolerance resign themselves to never eating in a restaurant or buying convenience foods. This loss of dining pleasure takes a toll on them, their family and friends.

The food industry is starting to understand this loss and is looking for ways to meet the needs of customers with food allergies or intolerance.

While these efforts are welcomed, a word of caution is necessary. Not all food-service providers may be capable of producing food that is completely safe for those who must avoid even the smallest amounts of foods their bodies can’t handle.

In the best-case scenario — which rarely exists — the kitchen is entirely allergen and gluten-free. This rare delight significantly reduces the possibility of trace amounts of offending substances. Kitchens that have a separate preparation and cooking area for the special needs meals can also easily produce meals safe to eat for those with allergies or intolerance.

There are several common, but often unintentional, ways a meal can be contaminated:

? Pots, pans and utensils are not thoroughly cleaned before being used in preparing an allergen-free meal.

? Pizza ovens used for regular pizza are also used to cook gluten-free pizza without placing the gluten-free pizza on a clean sheet tray.

? The same water used to cook regular pasta is used to cook gluten-free pasta.

? Traces of allergens and gluten are present in the deep fat fryer when a special item is fried in it.

? Allergens are transferred from one food to another in a steam oven.

? Food-service workers’ hands touch and cross-contaminate surfaces.

Talking with a restaurant’s managers and asking them about their procedures for handling food intolerance and allergies can help you determine if the kitchen is capable of fulfilling your individual needs. Taking a tour of the kitchen while discussing the restaurant’s policies and procedures can also increase your confidence. Many restaurants are willing to do this for customers now.

The extra effort will pay off for both you and the restaurant, as you are likely to become a repeat customer and bring others to dine with you.