When you are learning how to become a chef or work in the food industry one thing you want to take seriously and make sure you memorize is the foods that cause the most allergens. When you look closely at food labels, you will see that the FDA requires manufacturers to list common food allergies in simple terms. Nine foods account for the most food allergies but what are they?
Milk
Eggs
Peanuts
Tree Nuts (Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts)
Fish (Bass, Cod, Flounder)
Shellfish ( Shrimp, Crab, Lobster)
Soy
Wheat
And newly added Sesame seeds/products
There are many things put in place in restaurants to help customers with allergies be able to enjoy a meal without having to worry; only if the kitchen takes it seriously. When you are working on orders where you know there is an allergen; you need to make sure you are cleaning and sanitizing to prevent cross-contact. In addition to making sure you are using new equipment that has not been contaminated. Cross contact is not like cross-contamination, you can control cross-contamination since it is pathogens. But cross-contact has to do with proteins that can only be controlled through cleaning and sanitizing and not by temperature control.
However, there are times when cross-contact does happen so what should you do when someone is having an allergic reaction? The best thing you can do is call 911 because depending on the severity of the allergen, the person may have seconds to minutes to breathe. Here are some common signs to look for chest pain, coughing, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, wheezing, and shortness of breath.