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Allergens… three allergen profi les and tips on getting ready for the new law
Before the new legislation arrives in October, we’re looking at each allergen in detail. To download and print the allergen factsheets, head to our website: brws.it/allergenpack
Allergens: mustard, celery and sulphites For the most up-todate information, visit the Food Standards In the fi nal article of our series, we look Agency’s website: at the key watch-outs for three allergens brws.it/fsa
12 Mustard
Commonly recognised as an ochre-coloured paste that’s added to sauces and accompanies roast dinners, mustard is derived from the seeds of the mustard plant.
Mustard allergies are rare in the UK but when they do occur, reactions to it are severe and, in extreme cases, result in life-threatening anaphylaxis.
So while we commonly associate mustard with jars of golden paste, it does come in many other forms and is used widely, so it’s worth taking careful note.
Look out for:
• Mustard is a common ingredient in many sauces and condiments, including BBQ, ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressing, vinaigrette, béchamel, béarnaise, hollandaise, pickles, fi sh sauce and fi sh paste • It’s also used as a spice in the form of mustard powder and mustard seeds, most commonly in Indian dishes, but also in prepared deli meats and sausages • Ready-made spice mixes and rubs are also likely to include mustard powder or seeds.
Mustard substitutions
Les Mohammed, Senior Trading Controller, Unitas Wholesale You can try swapping out mustard powder for horseradish powder. As it is spicier than mustard, only use half the measure.
13 SULPHITES
Sometimes known as sulphites, sulphur dioxide is a preservative used to extend shelf life in foods and drinks. Sulphites is a general term to describe a group of chemicals that includes sulphur dioxide and sodium or potassium metabisulphite.
Sulphites can induce both allergic and non-allergic reactions. They release sulphur dioxide gas, which is the component that preserves food and drink. In some people, this gas can cause the airway to become irritated or constricted. This is a non-allergic reaction because it is not a response of the immune system.
Common symptoms of a non-allergic reaction include wheezing, tight chest, cough and, in some cases, a rash. People with asthma are more likely to experience non-allergic reactions to sulphites.
True allergies to sulphites are extremely rare, however, they can occur and it is good to be mindful of them. Make sure your team is aware.
Look out for:
• Processed meats such as sausages and burgers • Soft drinks, fruit juice concentrates, carbonated drinks, cordials and vegetable juices • Dried fruits and vegetables such as raisins and prunes • Wine, beer and cider • Pickled foods and vinegar • Guacamole • Dehydrated vegetables such as dried onions and pre-cut or peeled potatoes • Maraschino cherries and glacé cherries • Coconut milk • Salad dressings • Pre-prepared mustard • Frozen raw potato products • Fresh or frozen prawns • Tofu/bean curd. • Celeriac is a type of celery which is likely to contain very similar allergens to celery.
So those with celery allergies should also avoid it • Celery is widely used as a base with onion and garlic in Italian cooking – a ‘soff rito’ • Celery is used in food in multiple forms, including sticks, leaves, spice, salt and seeds.
Be sure to check labels carefully for all forms • Stocks and sauces • Canned soups • Crisps • Salads.
14 CELERY
Allergies to celery are quite rare in the UK with the most common type of celery allergy being pollenrelated. Pollen food syndrome is caused by the body’s reaction to proteins in plants which are similar to pollen. Unsurprisingly, pollen food syndrome is more common in people who suff er from hay fever.
Look out for:
KEEP READING
Turn over to fi nd out how you can prepare for Natasha’s Law...
Natasha’s Law: ARE YOU READY?
re you prepared for Natasha’s Law to come into place on 1 October? With not long to go now, it is important that you prepare your business and staff in plenty of time. To help you, we have gathered the key A information on what you need to include on the label, whether your business needs to adhere to the new law and how you can get ready.
What you need to know
From 1 October this year, laws on food labelling will change in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The new legislation, Natasha’s Law, states that all food that is pre-packaged for direct sale (PPDS) must list all ingredients and allergens clearly on the label. This applies to you if you prepare food on site for sale and package it ready for customers. It could be items such as pre-packed sandwiches, cakes and salads.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) explains that any food that is not in packaging or is packaged after being ordered by the consumer does not need this new labelling, but you must be able to tell customers what allergens are in the products when asked.
The change in legislation comes after a successful campaign from Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, following the tragic death of their daughter Natasha, who suff ered anaphylactic shock after unknowingly eating sesame seeds in a sandwich.
What should it look like?
Labels should state the name of the product followed by a list of all the ingredients. If the product contains any of the 14 allergens, they should be clearly highlighted. This could be in bold, capitalised, contrasting colours or underlined. You can fi nd a full list of label requirements here: brws.it/newlawchange
CHEESE AND PICKLE SANDWICH
Mature Cheddar cheese, pickle and butter in sliced malted bread
INGREDIENTS (allergens in bold): Malted bread (wheat fl our (wheat fl our, calcium carbonate, iron, niacin, thiamin), water, malted wheat fl akes, wheat bran, wheat protein, yeast, malted barley fl our, salt, emulsifi ers (mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids), spirit vinegar, malted wheat fl our, rapeseed oil, fl our treatment agent (ascorbic acid), palm fat, wheat fl our, palm oil, wheat starch) mature Cheddar cheese (milk), pickle (carrots, sugar, swede, onion, barley malt vinegar, water, spirit vinegar, apple pulp, dates, salt, modifi ed maize starch, rice fl our, colour (sulphite ammonia caramel), onion powder, concentrated lemon juice, spices, spice and herb extracts), butter (milk).
Les Mohammed, Senior Trading Controller, Unitas Wholesale
What do I need to do to prepare?
Follow our checklist to make sure you’re ready for Natasha’s Law, which comes into place on 1 October. • Audit. Review all your suppliers and the ingredients and products being delivered to you. What information do you receive from your suppliers? What format is this information currently in and how can you make sure this information can be accurately detailed on labels? Chat to your supplier about any changes you think they may need to make. Don’t forget to consider any seasonal ingredients or recipes you may use throughout the year. • Software. Is your system suitable for the new changes to labelling? Is your printer capable of creating the volume of labels you will need? The more you can automate, the less room for human error.
• Education and training.
Make sure all staff are fully aware of the new laws, what is required of them and how it aff ects your business.
Whether they’re involved in making the food or front of house, everyone needs to be aware of the changes. • Trial run. The more DOES THIS AFFECT YOU? prepared, the better. Have a trial run of your new Not sure if your food processes to highlight any needs new labelling? problems before the new Use the FSA’s handy law comes into place. tool to fi nd out: • Take stock. Allow suffi cient brws.it/ time to do a full review of all labellingtool the changes made to ensure everything is in place and running smoothly.
Download and print our full set of allergen factsheets: brws.it/allergenpack
