What are Allergens?

​According to the Food Standards Agency it is estimated that 1-2% of adults and 5-8% of children in the UK have a food allergy. This equates to around 2 million people living in the UK with a food allergy.
Around ten people in the UK die from allergic reactions to food every year. Symptoms of an allergic reaction can range from mild symptoms such as itching around the mouth and rashes; and can progress to more severe symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, wheezing and on occasion anaphylaxis (shock). 
As a home baker it is vital that I understand what Allergens are, How I can avoid causing customers allergic reactions and keep my business safe.
 
What are allergens?
 
Food Allergens are the substances in foods that can cause an allergic reaction. Allergens are normally proteins, and in some people, the immune system thinks allergens are foreign or dangerous. The immune response to these allergenic proteins is what leads to allergic reactions. The EU states 14 specific foods which are of public health importance.
These are

1. NUTS including almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts  
2. PEANUTS
   
3. EGGS including foods containing eggs such as mayonnaise  
4. MILK 
   
5. FISH   
6. CRUSTACEANS
   
7. MOLLUSCS  
8. CEREALS containing gluten such as spelt, Khorasan wheat, barley, rye and oats
   
9. CELERY  
10. LUPIN
    
11. MUSTARD  
12. SESAME SEEDS
    
13. SOYA  
14. SULPHUR DIOXIDE when added and above 10mg/kg in the finished food and drink

 
Why is this knowledge important to a baker?
 
Allergic reactions to food can be potentially life threatening.Symptoms can appear within minutes, or up to several hours after a person has eaten a food they are allergic to. There is no cure for food allergy. An allergic individual must avoid the food which makes them ill. Therefore it is imperative that as a baker I take all precautions to keep my customers safe.
Precautions I can take.

• As allergens can easily be transferred from one food to another, ie allergen free food can become contaminated and no longer be allergen free it is important to ensure full cleaning precedures are kept between cooking different items.
• By law I must inform customers of any allergens In my food. I do this by providing this information within my cake contracts.
• It is important to keep good stock control records ensuring I know all of the ingredients in all the foods I use.
• All food products are stored in a way that prevents cross contamination, for example peanut products are kept completely separate from other food stuffs.
• Keeping up to date with current allergens advice is extremely important to keep my customers safe in the future.

By routinely paying attention to my customers safety I can put all my energies into creating beautiful, tasty cakes.
Have a wonderful day today, I will be back tomorrow with a reflection of time as a blogger so far.
 
 
 
 
 

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