FOOD ALLERGEN COURSE

This online Food Allergen course provides the knowledge needed to keep customers safe from allergens.

Each year, food allergies affect around two million people in the UK and cause 10 fatalities.

So, all staff working in food businesses must be given appropriate training covering regulations, risks and the best-practice behaviours designed remove the risks to your consumers.

This CPD accredited online Food Allergen course includes an emailed certificate that is also retained online for be retained for employer records.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The Food Allergen course objectives include.

Recognise Allergens. Identify the 14 allergens, their sources, and common foods containing these allergens.

Legal Compliance. Understand the latest labelling laws and regulations relating to allergens in cafes and restaurants.

Symptom Recognition. Recognise symptoms of allergic reactions and understand their severity, enabling timely and appropriate responses.

Risk Management. Learn how to manage and minimise risks related to food allergies in different environments, such as restaurants, kitchens, and homes.

Effective Communication. Learn how to communicate clearly to customers with food allergies and accommodate their needs.

Emergency Response. Acquire knowledge about emergency procedures and responses in case of allergic reactions, including the use of epinephrine auto-injectors.

Prevention and Cross-Contamination. Understand methods to prevent cross-contamination and ensure safe food handling to avoid allergic reactions. We offer a dedicated course in Preventing Cross-Contamination that covers more detail including kitchen design.

WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?

This online Food Allergy training course has been designed for.

All food preparation and service staff.
Managers and supervisors of food businesses

The Echo3 Food Allergy Awareness course is invaluable for many individuals including, but not limited to.

All professionals in the food industry. This includes chefs, cooks, servers, and managers. Each must understand the risks from allergens, to ensure safe food handling, and minimising cross-contamination risks.

Health practitioners and caregivers. Knowing how to managing allergies properly will help them better support and care for allergic individuals.

All those with Safeguarding or Child Protection responsibilities will benefit from this Allergen Awareness course. They will acquire the knowledge essential for managing allergies at home, schools, and social gatherings.

Everyone involved in hospitality and event planning, will learn to help create inclusive environments by accommodating diverse dietary needs.

Essentially, anyone seeking to prevent allergic reactions, ensure compliance with regulations, and foster safety should consider undertaking an online food allergen course.

COURSE CONTENT

UNIT 1 | FOOD INTOLERANCE

First, we outline the difference between food intolerance and food allergies. Then highlight the risks from allergies.

UNIT 2 | SAFE FOOD SERVICE

Next, we cover how to service food safely. Depending on the type of workplace, this requires a knowledge of labelling laws, menu ingredients and how to deal with customer enquiries.

UNIT 3 | FOOD PREPARATION

The only way to avoid an allergic reaction is to avoid the allergy-causing items. In this unit, we outline best practice for preparing food safely. Including how to avoid the cross-contact of allergenic proteins.

UNIT 4 | EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

In this final unit, we cover what you should you do if a costumer experiences an allergic reaction.

UNIT 4 | QUIZ

CERTIFICATE

A verifiable, CPD-Accredited Food Allergen certificate will be emailed on completion.

Completion requires the learner to demonstrate a good understanding of the content by achieving 80% or more in the final multiple-choice quiz.

The Food Allergy certificate is valid for 3 years and a posted version can be ordered separately.

ECHO3 BENEFITS

The Echo3 Food Allergen course offers:

Comprehensive Knowledge. Detailed understanding of food allergens, their sources and risks.

Safety and Compliance. A clear understanding of legal requirements and best practices for allergen management, ensuring compliance with regulations.

Risk Mitigation. Know best-practice strategies to minimise cross-contact and prevent allergic reactions in food preparation and service.

Emergency Preparedness. Be able to recognise an allergic reaction and know the appropriate emergency responses, including the use of epinephrine.

Customer Confidence. Enhanced ability to communicate and cater to diverse dietary needs, fostering trust and loyalty among customers.

Accessible Learning. Convenient online format allowing self-paced learning and certification, suitable for various schedules and locations.

Accredited Content. Be assured Allergy training content is up to date, engaging and of high quality.

Carbon Negative. The Echo3 training platform is carbon negative.

ALLERGY TRAINING IMPORTANCE

Reactions range from mild, such as itchy skin or a runny nose, to severe, such as anaphylactic shock, which causes swelling of the throat, difficulty in breathing, a drop in blood pressure, collapse, unconsciousness, and death.

Around two million people live with food allergies in the UK. From 1998 to 2018 hospitalisations have increased 3-fold.

Thankfully the case fatality rate has fallen over the same period.

However, still since 1992 there have been 187 fatalities from food induced anaphylaxis.

Appropriate Food Allergy training is necessary to comply with food safety regulations and food standards agency requirements. And ensure employees have the knowledge needed to keep customers safe.

NATASHA”S LAW

Natasha’s law requires, allergen information labels on food packed in the same premises from which they are sold. Commonly referred to as Pre-Packed for Direct Sale (PPDS). Many cafes serve lunchtime sandwiches in this way.

Previously only pre-packed foods needed labelling. For example, the sandwiches that are sold in supermarkets, which are not prepared on the same site.

Allergens present in the product must be emphasised each time they appear in the ingredients list.

This change helps consumers make safer food choices deli’s, sandwich shops and take-aways who are packing food for immediate sale.

THE 14 FOOD ALLERGENS

The 14 food allergens are;

celery
cereals containing gluten
crustaceans
eggs
fish
lupin
milk
molluscs
mustard
tree nuts – including almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts
peanuts
sesame seeds
soybeans
sulphur dioxide and sulphite

Find Food Standards Agency allergen guidance here.

Food Allergy Course