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Policy 

1. ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ College is committed to reducing the risk to members of the College community (considered to include students, Fellows, and staff) and visitors of every kind with regard to the provision and preparation of food which could lead to an allergic reaction. 

Statement 

2. ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ College is not in a position to guarantee a completely allergen free environment, but rather to minimise the risk of exposure, encourage self-responsibility, and plan for effective response to possible emergencies. 

Objectives of this policy 

3. To promote awareness of the nature of food allergens and bring these to the attention of College members and staff. 

4. To provide clear guidance to all catering staff on their responsibilities for the provision of food to members of the College community and visitors with a confirmed food allergy. 

5. To ensure that appropriate education/training is available and implemented for any catering staff involved in providing food to customers with foodallergies. 

Allergy Labelling Legislation 

6. From 13 December 2014, new legislation (the EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation 1169/2011) requires food businesses to provide allergy information on food sold unpackaged. There are also changes to existing legislation on labelling allergenic ingredients in prepacked foods. More information about the new European legislation can be found on the European Commission website. 

7. The new legislation only covers information about major allergens intentionally used as ingredients. They do not cover allergens present following accidental contact. 

Background 

What is a food allergy? 

8. Food allergies involve the body’s immune system. The body reacts to certain allergens in food by producing antibodies, which can cause immediate and sometimes severe symptoms such as: itching or strange metallic taste in the mouth; swelling of the throat and tongue; difficulty in swallowing or speaking; abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting; skin hives (nettlerash) anywhere on the body; and in most extreme cases difficulties in breathing and a severe fall in blood pressure (anaphylactic shock). In extreme cases this can prove fatal. 

What is food intolerance? 

9. This does not involve the immune system in the same way and is not usually as severe as a food allergy. Symptoms usually take longer and may include headaches, fatigue and digestive problems. 

10. Food intolerance is harder to diagnose than a food allergy. The person with a known allergen trigger may know what food ingredient will provoke a reaction. However, they may well have eaten this food or a specific dish previously and had no adversereaction. 

Who is at risk? 

11. Anybody can develop a food allergen or intolerance at any time in their life irrespective of whether they have consumed the food previously. A person with an allergy is at risk even if they consume a small amount of the food allergen. 

12. The proportion of the UK population with a true food allergy is approximately 1-2% of adults and 5-8% of children which equates to around 1.5 million in the UK. In addition, about 1:100 of the UK population has coeliac disease and needs to avoidgluten. 

Common Food Allergens 

13. Listed below: 

• Celery and products thereof 

• Crustaceans and products thereof 

• Eggs and products thereof 

• Fish and products thereof 

• Gluten containing cereals, (i.e. wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut or their hybridized strains) and products thereof 

• Milk and products thereof (including lactose) 

• Tree nuts i.e. almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachio nuts, macadamia nuts and Queensland nuts and products thereof 

• Lupin and products thereof 

• Molluscs and products thereof 

• Mustard and products thereof 

• Peanuts and products thereof 

• Sesame seeds and products thereof 

• Soybeans and products thereof 

• Sulphur dioxide and sulphites at concentrations of more than 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre expressed as SO2. 

An allergen identification table is set out in Appendix 1. 

14. People may report allergies to other foods not on the above list. Most common in the UK are kiwi, peas, other legumes (beans etc), other seeds and other fruits and vegetables. In some cases, people only need to avoid these when raw and can have them cooked. 

Responsibilities 

15. The Head Chef, or in his absence the Sous Chef, is responsible for ensuring that any food provided for College members, staff or visitors with a food allergy is appropriate for their needs. 

16. The Head Chef will ensure that the kitchen has stock or can access the necessary stock ingredients to offer suitable alternatives for people with allergies, intolerances and coelic disease. 

17. The Head Chef will ensure that allergen information is provided on all food/listed in the list of ‘Common Food Allergens’ listed above. This information will be supplied in Allergy Data Sheets (see Appendix 2) that can be easily seen by College members and visitors. This also applies to food pre-packed such as wraps and sandwiches. The location of Allergy Data Sheets is set out in Appendix 3. 

18. Members, staff and their guests are required to clearly and accurately communicate food allergies and intolerances using the meal booking system or (for a special event) notifying the Conference Office, in accordance with Appendix 4. 

19. As of January 2022 the meal booking system has been extended to allow staff with notified dietary conditions to book meals through it, in order to smooth communication of their needs to the kitchen staff day to day. Staff with dietary conditions must communicate their requirements and medical or other needs to HR, who will action the necessary set up on the meal booking system through the offices of the Domestic Bursar and Conference team. 

Staff Training – kitchens and front of house teams 

20. All chefs must also attend the following mandatory courses: 

• Food Hygiene Certificate 

• CIEH Level 2 Food Safety 

• A recognised training course on Food Allergy Awareness 

21. The butlers and catering service assistants mustattend the following mandatory courses: 

• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate 

• Food Allergy Awareness (delivered internally or externally) 

22. All training records will be maintained in the Catering Department. The records will also show annual refresher training. 

23. Casual service staff must be trained on food allergy awareness and local procedures by the Head of Dining Services or his/her deputy before commencing work. 

24. There should be at least two first-aiders in the catering departments. All catering department staff must be trained in the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction and emergency response procedures – see Appendix 5. 

Good Kitchen and Service Practices 

Kitchen 

25. All dishes which are produced in house will be from standard ingredients from ‘approved’ suppliers. Any ingredient changes/supplier changes affecting standard ingredients will be detailed. 

26. Where allergenic ingredients are packaged openly/loosely, they are stored separately to reduce the risk of contamination. 

27. Equipment/utensils used in the preparation of food for people with a food allergy are cleaned according to standard procedures (see HACCP manual) which under normal circumstances should be sufficient. 

28. A specific area of the kitchen will be sought for the preparation of any food for someone with a food allergy. The area will be sanitised before it is used to prepare food. Separate identifiable chopping boards. 

29. When cooking food for people with a food allergy or intolerance the chef will wear gloves and will wash their hands before and in-between preparation tasks. 

30. All food produced for people with food allergy or intolerance will be placed away from other food and covered in cling film. It will then be clearly marked with the person’s diet. 

31. Where dishes contain common allergens, they are clearly labelled at the entrance to the dining area. 

Food Service 

32. On receipt of the food the supervisor on duty must check that the special meal ordered for the person with a food allergy or intolerance has been supplied and is appropriate for the person. Any concern should be immediately discussed with appropriate kitchenstaff. 

33. Normal food handling procedures should apply (e.g. washing hands, wearing disposable gloves and aprons). 

34. Staff are aware to keep serving utensils separate to avoid cross contamination. 

35. All tables are cleaned with an appropriate solution. 

Good communication 

36. Staff are trained to escalate any concerns a College member or visitor may have regarding a food allergy or intolerance to a line manager if they are unsure. 

37. Appendix 4 sets out the steps people with food allergies should take when they are dining in the College. 

January 2022