Allergen Management

Knowledge on food composition is crucial in protecting customers from food allergens.

Life-threatening reactions can be triggered once a severe food allergy occurs. Thus, it is of utmost importance for people involved in food manufacturing and preparation to have the proper allergen training. Management and staff engaged in food businesses must have a complete understanding of the processes and products they are responsible of. Communicating allergen risks to company staff and eventually to customers who are prone to allergic reactions from certain foods is crucial to avoid any health-related issues.

Through CALCMENU, companies involved in the food industry can easily identify food allergens in their respective businesses, thereby, boosting their allergen risk management capabilities. CALCMENU will provide you with the best information on what are 14 allergens that you need to be aware of, which are:

Cereals

Cereals that contains gluten: oats, rye, barley, wheat (such as khorasan wheat and spelt) or their hybridised strains, with the exception of cereals utilized in alcoholic distillates production such as ethyl alcohol which comes from agricultural origin; barley-based glucose syrups; glucose syrups such as dextrose based from wheat; and maltodextrins based from wheat.

Nuts

Nuts: walnuts (Juglans regia), pecan nuts (Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch), pistachio nuts (Pistacia vera), macadamia or Queensland nuts (Macadamia ternifolia), Brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa), cashews (Anacardium occidentale), almonds (Amygdalus communis L.), hazelnuts (Corylus avellana) and products thereof. Not included are nuts being utilized in alcoholic distillate production such as ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin

Soybeans

Soybeans and products thereof with the execption of plant stanol ester manufactured from soybean sourced-vegetable oil sterols, soybean sourced-natural D-alpha tocopherol succinate, natural D-alpha tocopherol acetate, natural mixed tocopherols (E306), and natural D-alpha tocopherol, and fully refined soybean oil and fat.

Fish

Fish and products thereof with the exception of Isinglass or fish gelatine being utilized in wine and beer as fining agent and fish gelatine being utilized in carotenoid or vitamin preparations as carrier

Sulphur Dioxide and Sulphites

Sulphur dioxide and sulphites with greater than 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre with regard to the aggregate SO2 which are computed for products as suggested available for consumption or as reproduced based manufacturers’ instructions

Milk

Milk and products thereof (such as lactose) with the exception of lactitol and whey being utilized in alcoholic distillate production such as ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin

Mollusks

and products thereof

Crustaceans

and products thereof

Lupin

and products thereof

Peanuts

and products thereof

Celery

and products thereof

Mustard

and products thereof

Sesame Seeds

and products thereof

Eggs

and products thereof

Both the UK and the US have set in place their own allergen risk management practices so that companies are guided properly. On both levels, CALCMENU has mastered how to determine food allergens and have advanced technological system to alert people who are involved in food production (i.e. managers, chefs and kitchen staff).

Get CALCMENU now and see how its allergen matrix makes a difference on how your company conquer food safety issues!