Advocacy >> Restaurant Advocacy

Restaurant Advocacy

Our goal is to raise awareness of food allergies within our local restaurants, food service establishments, and with food allergic individuals in our community, in order to create a more safe & comfortable environment for food allergic families to dine.
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Facts and Statistics

Dining Away From Home

• Eating away from home can pose a significant risk to people affected by food allergy. Research suggests that close to half of fatal food allergy reactions are triggered by food served by a restaurant or other food service establishment. *37, 38

• One study looking at peanut and tree nut allergy reactions in restaurants and other food establishments found that reactions were frequently attributed to desserts, that Asian restaurants and take-out dessert stores (bakeries, ice cream shops) were common sources of foods that triggered reactions, and that the food establishment was often not properly notified of a food allergy by the customer with the allergy. *40

• Even small amounts of a food allergen can cause a reaction. *44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49

• Most allergic reactions to foods occurred to foods that were thought to be safe. Allergic reactions can be attributed to a form of mislabeling or cross-contact during food preparation. *37, 38, 39

Food Allergy Facts and Statistics Resources (FAAN)  

A number of reactions & fatalities have occurred because restaurant wait staff did not take the food allergy questions seriously or did not know how to answer the diner's questions.  Cross-contact in the kitchen, hidden ingredients, or unexpected use of common allergens during food preparation also have caused a number of allergic reactions for unsuspecting individuals.  (FAAN)

The following downloadable resources introduce employees to food allergies and explains the risks associated with the preparation of an allergen-free meals and the dangers of cross-contamination. 

• What Restaurant Managers need to Know to Train Staff, Iowa State:  http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM2065.pdf

• Welcoming Guests with Food Allergies to Restaurants, FAAN: http://www.foodallergy.org/files/WelcomingGuests2010.pdf 

• Allergy Training: http://allergytraining.food.gov.uk/english/default.aspx 

• Taking Your Food Allergies out to Dinner:   http://www.aaaai.org/Aaaai/media/MediaLibrary/PDF%20Documents/Libraries/EL-allergies-dinner-out-patient.pdf

• Take action to avoid an allergic reaction, handouts for restaurants – 5 week training for staff:
  

1. Common Allergens Poster for Restaurants:                      http://www.ccburbank.org/docs/Food%20Alergies%20Poster.pdf 
2. Know the most common food allergens:  http://www.ccburbank.org/docs/Food%20Alergy%20Training.pdf 
3. Avoiding cross contact:    http://www.ccburbank.org/docs/Food%20Alergy%20Training%20avoid%20cross%20contam.pdf
4. Symptoms of an allergic reaction:                                                                                                                                                                                             http://www.ccburbank.org/docs/Food%20Alergy%20Training%20%20ALERGIC%20REACTION.pdf
5. Communicating with the customer:     http://www.ccburbank.org/docs/Food%20Alergy%20Training%20Communication.pdf 
6. Answer Key:  http://www.nfsem.com/downloads/NFSEM_2008_Answer_Key.pdf

Restaurants 

FAAN's Restaurant Training Videos

Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV

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 Information On:

Labeling
Training Manuals
Tips 
Restaurant Posters
Chef Cards
Colleges
Hospitals

Visit FAAN's:
Food Industry & Service Professionals Resources