How to ensure you and your loved ones are safe from threat of food allergies

For people living with food allergies, eating out or being invited as a guest for dinner can be stressful. And, while the usual questions on food preference and what to bring are generally always asked, how often do you query if your guests have a food allergy?

It might surprise you to learn research led by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) found that more than one in 10 Scottish households (16%) includes at least one person with a food allergy. The most commonly reported allergies are to milk, gluten, eggs and some seafood.

Charity Allergy UK has conducted a study into perceptions of allergies and the psychological impact of allergies on sufferers. Findings showed that over half (53%) of people in the UK regularly avoid social situations due to their allergies.

More than half (52%) often felt they had to play down their allergies due to judgment from family members, which can put them at higher risk of having an allergic reaction.

Often, they are mild, but can be severe and can result in anaphylaxis.

Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of an allergic reaction – it is life-threatening.

So, the next time you invite guests to your house for dinner and they ask you about what’s in their food, would you be able to tell them? It’s important you can.

To make your guests feel comfortable and improve the experience of people living with food allergies, follow these tips – it could save a life:

• Ask your guest (or their parents or carers, if you are cooking for a child) what they can and cannot eat.

• Before you start preparing food, clean all work surfaces and equipment thoroughly, using hot, soapy water to remove traces of anything you might have cooked before.

• Keep allergens separate from other foods and follow FSS advice for avoiding cross-contact in the kitchen.

• Double-check ingredients listed on pre-packed foods such as sauces for allergens.

• Keep a note of the ingredients used in your dish so you can answer any questions your guests may have about the food.

Finally, after the washing up is done and the barbecue is cleaned and put away until the next event, you still need to know if any information on food packaging labels was missing or incorrect, so you can inform your guests.

FSS’s food allergy text alert system can help ensure your safety and of those around you when there are changes to information about the presence of allergens.

Grainne Gilson-Smith is a senior enforcement manager with Food Standards Scotland and aims to help bring greater awareness to consumers and food businesses about allergens