Food Protection Trends - September 2008 - (Page 659)

FIGurE 2. Age of individuals (number, percentage) who experienced a fatal reaction to restaurant food FIGurE 3. Allergens implicated in fatal reactions to restaurant food (number, percentage) IntroductIon Food allergy is an increasing food safety and public health issue, affecting about 4% of the United States population, or 12 million Americans. There are 6.9 million Americans allergic to seafood (9) and 3.3 million allergic to peanuts and/ or tree nuts (8). Severe allergic reactions caused by foods account for about 30,000 emergency room visits and 150 to 200 deaths each year in the United States. (12). The most severe type of allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis. Eight foods account for 90% of food allergy reactions: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (e.g., walnuts, almonds, and pecans), fish (e.g., salmon, halibut, and cod), shellfish (e.g., shrimp, crab, and lobster), wheat, and soy. Although the vast majority of reactions are triggered by ingestion of the food allergen, reactions can also occur from inhalation of cooking fumes/vapors. There is no cure for food allergy; strict avoidance of the offending allergen is the only way to prevent a reaction. Avoidance can be difficult, because trace amounts of a food allergen may be enough to cause a reaction. Food allergy reactions are always unexpected; individuals believe they are eating a safe food. A significant number of food allergy reactions are the result of food served in or provided by restaurants and other foodservice establishments such as school cafeterias, food court vendors’ operations, and catered events. Sadly, most of these reactions could have been prevented by due diligence on the part of the consumer and/or the restaurant staff. Food-allergic individuals sometimes fail to identify themselves to restaurant personnel, and sometimes eat a food item that may in fact contain an allergen. Additionally, restaurant employees are sometimes ill-equipped, through lack of training, to understand the serious nature of food allergy, to read ingredient labels, and to avoid cross-contact during food preparation. Through an analysis of 29 fatal food-allergic reactions caused by restaurant food, strategies emerge that can help restauranteurs prevent such tragedies in the future. Ample research demonstrates the prevalence and severity of food-allergic reactions caused by restaurant food, as well as the need for better education and training on the part of restaurant and food service personnel. Of the 5,149 registrants in the United States Peanut and Tree Nut Allergy Registry, 14% reported reactions associated with restaurants and other food service establishments. Researchers studied more than 150 such episodes and found that the establishments most commonly involved were Asian restaurants (19%), ice cream shops (14%), and bakeries or doughnut shops (13%) (5). Other researchers conducted an Internet-based survey of 51 patients with food allergies and found that 18% of the reported reactions occurred in restaurants (4). Investigators in Ireland conducted chemical analyses and found that about 21% of restaurants (13 out of 62) provided meals that could possibly have triggered a fatal reaction in an individual with peanut allergy. In each case, the restaurant staff had asserted that the meal was suitable for someone with a peanut allergy (6). Researchers who examined hospital discharge records and fatal anaphylactic reactions in the United Kingdom found that foods with “hidden” allergens and meals at restaurants were particularly dangerous for patients with food allergies. They concluded that restaurants present major risks for individuals with food allergy (11). In a study of more than 100 members of the Anaphylaxis Campaign, the major British patient resource group for individuals who have suffered severe allergic reactions, restaurants were implicated in 14% of the reactions (10). Findings from SEPTEMBER 2008 | FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS 659

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Food Protection Trends - September 2008

Food Protection Trends - September 2008 Contents Sustaining Members Perspectives from Your President Commentary from the Executive Director Controlling Staphylococcus aureus on Beef and Sheep Carcasses in Australia Fatal Food Allergy Reactions in Restaurants and Foodservice Establishments:�Strategies for Prevention New Members Updates News Industry Products Coming Events Advertising Index Journal of Food Protection Table of Contents Audiovisual Library Order Form Booklet Order Form Membership Application

Food Protection Trends - September 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.