When awareness is a matter of life and death

Over the years, we’ve developed Allergen Awareness courses for several food business clients, as well as our own elearning modules. We’re currently revising our training as well as our clients’, to take account of new information and legislation.

The main change that’s coming up is the law on food labelling in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Environment Secretary Michael Gove announced new legislation last week (25 June 2019), following a campaign by the parents of teenager Natasha Ednan-Laperouse from Fulham, London. Natasha died after suffering an allergic reaction from unknowingly eating sesame in a Pret a Manger artichoke, olive and tapenade baguette.

The new legislation, known as ‘Natasha’s Law’, will require food businesses to include full ingredients labelling on pre-packaged foods. It’s due to come into force by the summer of 2021, which gives businesses two years to adapt to the changes.

Under current laws, food prepared on the premises in which it is sold – such as a packaged sandwich made by staff earlier in the day and placed on a shelf for purchase – does not have to display allergen information in writing. If a consumer asks, the food business must give allergen information in person.

The new legislation will tighten the rules by requiring foods that are pre-packed directly for sale to carry a full list of ingredients.

Mr Gove said: ‘“These changes will make food labels clear and consistent and give the country’s two million food allergy sufferers confidence in making safe food choices.’

The introduction of Natasha’s Law follows a consultation in January proposing four options, including full ingredient list labelling; allergen-only labelling; ‘ask the staff’ labels on products; and promoting best practice to businesses.

The consultation received overwhelming support from consumers for full ingredients labelling, with more than 70 per cent of people backing this option. The Food Standards Agency’s recent advice also recommended government should implement full ingredients labelling.

Food businesses across the country have already taken steps to improve food labelling and outlets are being urged to do all they can ahead of the implementation date to help consumers make safe food choices.

However, UKHospitality, the body which represents the hospitality sector, warned that some smaller businesses might struggle with the new legislation. UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls said: ‘There is also a risk that the new measures, which will not circumvent cross-contamination and will be open to mislabelling, will only promote a dangerous reliance on labelling.’

We believe it’s vital that everyone who works in the food industry or indeed any other sector where food is prepared, served or consumed (e.g. schools) is made aware not just of the law, but more importantly of the dangers linked to food allergies, including the causes and potential consequences of cross-contamination.

In a separate tragic incident, 13-year-old Karanbir Singh Cheema from west London died after another boy threw a piece of cheese at him. The boy who threw the cheese had no idea that Karanbir had a dairy allergy, or that cheese could cause a serious reaction if it touched Karanbir’s skin.

At the inquest into Karanbir’s death Mary Hassell, the senior coroner for inner north London, said: ‘In terms of the potential to change the outcome, there was a missed opportunity by Karanbir’s school to raise awareness among their pupils of the grave nature of his allergies and the care that needed to be taken to avoid his contact with allergens.’