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MAGAZINE
In this month's Business Bites feature,
we speak to Katie Young about the
importance of recognising and dealing
with allergens in your cake business.
Katie Young MCIEH, Bsc (Hons) has
over 15 years' experience in food
safety enforcement and is the owner of
Beacon Compliance.
The death of an 11 year old boy,
Oakley Debbs, in the USA as a result
of accidentally eating a tree nut found
within a pound cake the day before
thanksgiving and in the UK, the
tragic death of 15 year old Natasha
Ednan-Laperouse after eating a cross
contaminated baguette, both in 2016.
These should send chills down our
spines and feelings of nausea in the
pits of our stomachs as we realise the
impact and consequences of being a
food business operator, having the
potential to destroy a person and their
families’ lives due to irresponsible
controls of allergen containing
materials in the day to day operation
of what is thought to be ‘simply baking
a cake’.
At the time of this article being printed,
there are 8 legally defined allergens
in the USA and 14 in the UK. Of those,
the most common allergens to be
found in ingredients used on or in
a cake product will include cereals
containing Gluten, namely Wheat,
along with Milk, Egg, Soya, Tree
Nuts and Peanuts (note there may be
more depending on the final recipe/
decoration of the product).
Responsibilities as a food business
operator should include, as a minimum,
ensuring the following points are
considered and implemented when
using allergen containing ingredients:Approved Suppliers – How does
your supplier handle allergens? Are
they mainstream, ‘branded’ suppliers?
Are they registered with enforcing
authority? Are they certified as a food
manufacturer? Are they reputable?
Is the full list of ingredients available
through a specification or on external
labelling? Are the ingredients
transported and delivered to you in a
safe way avoiding cross contamination?Preparation – Ensure you and your
staff are trained in awareness of
allergens. Consider the format of
allergens i.e. liquid, powder, solid, thus
what type of risk it presents when
being handled i.e. does it become
airborne and contaminate equipment
and items in the surrounding areas.
Segregate preparing foods that
contain allergens through time, area,
equipment e.g. reusing baking tins and
mixing bowls and personnel/personalprotective equipment where possible.
Clean equipment thoroughly. Designate
scoops and containers for ingredients.
Ensure everything is clearly labelled.
Use agreed recipes and avoid last
minute ingredient changes where
new allergens may be unknowingly
introduced.Selling – Ask the customer if they have
any intolerances or concerns regarding
allergens when they place their orders
and keep a note of this. If you have a
shop, put this notice on display. Label
finished products with allergens the
product contains (a summary is not
enough as chocolate for example often
contains a number of sub-ingredients
including soya and milk). If ‘business
to business’ sales, ensure the product
is fully labelled in line with local
regulations including compound
ingredients (specifications can be
provided if for wholesale supply).In summary, hazards associated
with allergens can be easily avoided
if you have undertaken a thorough
assessment of your food operation,
identifying all the hazards at each step
and implementing effective control
measures to reduce the hazard to an
acceptable level.[email protected].
http://www.beacon-compliance.co.uk
http://www.facebook.com/beaconcomplianceBUSINESS BITES
Welcome to Business Bites, our new monthly feature where we give you all the best
tips and tricks for your business. This month, we discuss allergens!