• Food Allergen Awareness Training
• What is Food Hypersensitivity?
• What is a Food Intolerance?
• What Does Natasha’s Law Mean for My Business?
• Food Allergies: Myth Vs. Fact
• Food Allergy Awareness Quiz

The post Food Hypersensitivity Quiz appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

In this article, we will outline the purpose of a food allergy policy and the information that it should include. We will also provide you with a downloadable food allergen policy template for you to use when writing your own food allergen policy. 

What is a Food Allergen Policy?

Food allergen policies demonstrate an organisation’s commitment to reducing the risk to staff, visitors and customers concerning food provision and production which could cause allergic reactions. Not only do food allergen policies demonstrate that you are conscientious and care about your customers, visitors and staff, but they also show your dedication to preventing allergic reactions wherever possible.  

Any business that produces, manufactures, distributes, sells and/or handles food needs an allergen policy. This will provide you and your staff with information on how to handle, store, prepare and serve allergenic food products safely. 

Those responsible for creating food allergen policies are senior leaders in the business. For example, the business owner, the head chef or the manager. This should be done in collaboration to ensure it meets the correct criteria and then should be communicated with everyone in the business. 

Food Allergens Report 2024

In our Food Allergens Report 2024, we have investigated the current state of allergy safety in UK eateries. Eager to uncover the truth? Read the report here.

Why is an Allergen Policy Important for the Food Industry?

Food allergen policies show staff, customers and food safety officers that you take the control of food allergens seriously. It also demonstrates that you have considered the hazards and have implemented control measures to prevent people from coming to harm. 

Having a food allergen policy is important to ensure you are complying with regulations. Not only does it benefit the customers at your business, but it also benefits your staff. 

Staff must be trained on allergens so they can do their job, the food allergen policy can be used to guide staff to giving customers the right information. As a customer, it is reassuring to know that you’re eating in a place where staff know exactly what is in each dish and have the paperwork that outlines the steps the business takes to create allergen safe dishes. 

Want to Learn More?

Our Food Allergen Awareness Training will teach you how to comply with UK allergen awareness regulations and increase your understanding of common food allergens. You can also read more about Food Allergen Risk Assessments and Near Miss Reporting in our articles.

A lack of understanding around food allergens and food hyper-sensitivity can have fatal consequences, therefore it is essential that you do all that you can to prevent allergy incidents. 
Unfortunately, not all businesses have the necessary safety precautions and controls in place which has had fatal consequences. These devastating cases of fatal food allergen incidents have led to advancements in regulations, such as with Natasha’s Law. Other campaigns, such as Owen’s Law, seek to further improve the way businesses communicate allergens with their customers.

Owen’s Law

The tragic case of Owen Carey highlights the consequences of providing inaccurate information to those with food hypersensitivities. Owen was 18 years old when he suffered a fatal anaphylactic reaction.

Owen, who was allergic to multiple foods, including dairy, had ordered a chicken burger at a Byron restaurant in London. He was informed by the waiter that the dish was dairy free, but the chicken was marinated in buttermilk.

Shortly after leaving the restaurant, Owen began to suffer from symptoms of anaphylaxis which became increasingly worse before he collapsed and died. An inquest into his death discovered that the allergenic ingredient, buttermilk, was not clearly declared on the restaurant’s menu or by the server with whom Owen communicated.

Since Owen’s tragic death, his family have fought to change the law so that restaurants must state the allergens in their products clearly on the menu. This change could save lives.

The FSA (Food Standards Agency) agreed at their board meeting on 13th December 2023 that written allergen information should be compulsory in food businesses like coffee shops and restaurants. This is an important step in allergen awareness and board members will now write to the Government calling for change, backing the Owen’s Law argument.

What Should my Business Include in the Food Allergen Policy?

The food allergen policy is a tool your business can use to ensure safe procedures in handling allergens, it will help train your staff on the correct procedures to follow giving them information and it can also be used to demonstrate to customers the steps the business takes to reduce the risk of allergenic contamination. Therefore your food allergen policy should be detailed and thorough, and include what you need it to for your own business.

 As a guide, the policy should lay out the following:

• The purpose of the policy: start by outlining what the policy is and the main objectives. 
• The 14 food allergens: the policy should list the 14 food allergens contained within the law. You can find a free poster of the 14 allergens here. 
• Allergy labelling legislation and regulations: explain the relevant regulations and legislation that the policy covers and how the business complies with them.
• The business’ commitment: outline the ways in which your business takes precautions to ensure food allergen safety. 
• Background information: provide an overview of food allergens, food intolerances and who is at risk or affected by food allergies. 
• Responsibilities within the business: outline who is responsible for creating the food allergen policy and other documentation, the responsibility of the staff in the business, the chefs and senior leadership etc. 
• Allergen information: explain how food allergen information is gathered, including training and documentation. 
• Information for customers: describe how information about food allergens is shared with and provided to customers. 
• Procedures: explain the procedures and precautions taken to ensure safety. This should include kitchen procedures, such as storage and preparation of food, service procedures, cleaning procedures etc. 
• Emergency situations: explain what to do in an emergency situation, for example, if a customer has a severe allergic reaction. 
• Inclusivity: describe how the business ensures that those with food allergies and intolerances are catered for in the business. 

Food Allergen Policy Template

Below is an example of a food allergen policy we have created for our fictional company, High Speed Treats. The information provided in the example demonstrates what a policy could look like and what sections it should include. You can use this as a prompt for your own business’ food allergen policy, however, you should make sure you create a policy to suit your business’s specific needs.

We have also attached a blank food allergen policy template below that you can download and edit. Take a look at our example food allergen policy and download your blank template on the buttons below:

We hope you have enjoyed reading this article and have learnt about the importance of food allergen policies. If you have any further questions or wish to find out more information on the topics covered in this article, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at High Speed Training!

Further Resources:

• Food Allergen Awareness Training
• The Importance of Near Miss Reporting in Hospitality
• Food Allergen Risk Assessment & Checklist: Free Templates
• What Should a School Food Allergy Policy Cover?
• Food Allergen Labels: Free Download & Advice

The post Food Allergen Policy: Free Template appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

In this article, we will outline the careers available in the hospitality and catering industry and explain some of the skills that may be required. We will also provide you with some guidance and advice on how to secure a job.

What Jobs are in the Hospitality and Catering Industry?

The hospitality and catering industry is vast and includes businesses such as bars, restaurants, hotels and clubs. There are plenty of job roles to choose from, for example, you could work as front of house staff, in a management role or behind the scenes as a chef or technician. 

Careers in hospitality and catering include:

• Servers – duties include taking food and drink orders, serving customer orders and taking payments. 
• Chefs – responsible for creating and updating menus, preparing food and ordering stock.
• Hosts – this entails taking reservations, greeting customers and seating them.
• Cellar technicians – installing and maintaining drink systems in bars, pubs and restaurants. 
• Food suppliers – duties include taking stock orders and delivering to organisations.
• Cleaners – this involves cleaning businesses, including bars, restaurants and hotels, to a high standard to ensure cleanliness and hygiene. 
• Kitchen assistants – sometimes referred to as a ‘dishwasher’, a kitchen assistant is responsible for helping prepare food and cleaning the kitchen.
• Hospitality critics – this entails assessing hospitality businesses and publishing reviews about them. 
• Inspectors – responsible for ensuring businesses are safe and healthy, and that they meet the necessary requirements. 
• Food factory workers – required to prepare food that will be delivered to hospitality businesses. 
• Porters – this is a common role in hotels, duties include carrying customers baggage to their rooms, valet parking and room service. 
• Event planners – responsible for arranging events to customers wants and needs, this often involves liaising with others in the business such as managers, chefs and servers. 

This list is not exhaustive and the career opportunities within the catering and hospitality sector are endless. Finding the right role for you involves one that suits your needs, skills and abilities, as well as challenging you. 

Management Roles

There is also the opportunity to further your career in hospitality and catering by entering a management position. This can involve supervising staff, making shift rotas, schedules and being responsible for day-to-day running of the business. There are clear routes of progression too; for example, if you start as a server, you could step up to be a bar or restaurant manager. If you start as a kitchen assistant, you could become a chef then a sous chef, or a head chef. 

Benefits of Working in Hospitality

As with any role, in any sector, there are positives and negatives associated with working in the hospitality industry. It is helpful to be aware of them so that you can make an informed decision about whether it will fit with your wants and needs, and if it is the right sector for you. 

Some of the benefits of working in the hospitality and catering sector include:

Building on your skills 

Depending on the role you undertake, you will develop extensive skills. This includes, and is not limited to, teamwork skills, excellent communication skills, cash handling skills, time management skills and organisational skills.

Flexibility of hours 

Most hospitality and catering jobs will come with a range of hours, in comparison with a 9-5 job. You could work the morning shift, day shift or evening shift depending on the business you work in. 

Variety of roles

There are many different roles available in the hospitality industry, meaning you can change your job to suit your needs. Also, the skills you develop in one role will often provide you with transferable skills that will help you secure a different role within the industry. 

Opportunity for advancing 

Career progression in the hospitality industry means you can gain more responsibility as you go. Starting at an entry level position, such as waiter or dishwasher, you can build on your knowledge and skills to become a chef, supervisor, manager or even to start your own hospitality business. 

As with any job, there are some challenges and potential negatives. Despite having flexible hours compared to a normal 9-5 job, many hospitality businesses will be open late and open on weekends, meaning you could be working unsociable hours. It is also a high-pressure environment that is very fast paced, so a level of resilience and being able to cope under pressure is required. 

Looking to Learn More?

Our Food Hygiene courses and Food Allergen training course will help you to build your knowledge and skills on important topics in the hospitality industry.

How to Get into the Hospitality Industry

Careers in hospitality can be highly rewarding and even if you don’t have experience in the sector, you can still pursue a role. There are a few ways you can get into the industry and steps you can take to increase your chances of getting a job.

Before applying for a job, it is helpful to figure out what sort of role you are best suited to. Would you like to work in a hotel? Or would you prefer shifts in a restaurant? Knowing which business you would prefer to work in will help you identify a role you would like. Do you enjoy preparing food? Or are you more of a people person that would like to interact with customers? Identifying the role you would like to be in can help you know what steps you can take to stand out from others when applying for a job.

Upskilling yourself through online courses, classes and volunteering can help you develop desirable skills that employers will be looking for, too. For example, building on your knowledge of food hygiene, customer service skills or leadership and management can make you stand out from others that may be applying for the same role.

Tailoring your CV and cover letter to the role you want will also help you secure a position. Highlighting the skills and experience that you have which are relevant to the role you are applying for will increase your chances of being selected. Customer service, time management and communication skills are all important for jobs in the hospitality industry. Read the job specification and identify the desirable skills they are looking for, this will help you know what to include in your CV. This may mean altering your CV and cover letter for each job that you apply for. 

It is also important to thoroughly prepare for your interview. Take a look at our articles on the questions you may be asked when interviewing to be waiting staff, a bartender or a chef for more guidance. 

If you don’t get offered your dream job straight away, accepting a position in the industry will still help you gain experience while you continue to search for your perfect role. To get started, take a look at the current job advertisements in your local area. 

We hope you have enjoyed reading this article and have learnt about the variety of rewarding jobs available in the hospitality and catering industry. If you have any further questions or wish to find out more information on the topics covered in this article, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at High Speed Training!

Further Resources:

• Food Hygiene Courses
• What is the Importance of Effective Communication in the Hospitality Industry?
• What Skills Do You Need To Be a Chef?
• Top 8 Skills for a Successful Career in Hospitality
• Is There a Difference Between a Chef and a Cook?

The post Careers in Hospitality and Catering appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

In this article, we will outline what is meant by near miss reporting and why it is so important in hospitality. We will also cover how to effectively manage near miss reporting in your hospitality business so that it becomes a valuable preventative measure.

What is Near Miss Reporting in Hospitality?

Of the two million people diagnosed with a food allergy in the UK, one in six of these people experience such severe symptoms that they require medical help. This makes managing their food allergies when eating out of paramount importance, and they will need to be reassured that measures are in place to reduce the risk of any harm coming to them. 

In the hospitality industry, a near miss refers to a food safety related incident which didn’t cause harm on a particular occasion but had the potential to do so. For example, a customer may suffer a mild allergic reaction after consuming a product which contained an ingredient they weren’t aware of. This would be considered a near miss as no serious harm was caused on that occasion. 

It is important to record any near miss incidents because it highlights where there is room for improvement in your current allergen processes. You can then take appropriate action as the situation could have been much more serious had the customer experienced a severe allergic reaction. 

Food Hypersensitivities

It is not only important to report near misses which link to allergic reactions to food, but also to consider near misses linked to wider food hypersensitivities. The term ‘food hypersensitivity’ is an umbrella term which encompasses food allergies, intolerances and coeliac disease. 

A food intolerance is having difficulty digesting certain foods, resulting in an adverse physical reaction to them if they are eaten. As such, a food intolerance affects the digestive system, and the symptoms that occur – typically bloating or stomach pain – usually present themselves within a few hours of eating the food. While the symptoms are unpleasant, food intolerances are not life-threatening. 

Coeliac disease is a serious autoimmune disease which causes the body to react to gluten in an adverse way. Over time, damage is caused to the small intestine causing symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss and even nerve damage. There are 600,000 people living with coeliac disease in the UK and even trace amounts of gluten can cause serious effects. For more information, check out our article: How to Identify which Foods Contain Gluten. 

Having a near-miss reporting system in place is a valuable step in ensuring you have adequate procedures in place to avoid cross-contamination. The feedback you can gain from near miss reporting is incredibly useful and should be seen as a way to help improve the experience and the safety of all food hypersensitive customers in your workplace.

For more information on food hypersensitivities, take a look at our article here.

Why is Near Miss Reporting Important?

Near miss reporting is crucial in order to protect customers with food hypersensitivities from harm. Customers should be able to feel confident that the food products they consume are safe for them to do so, whether that is a food product they buy in the supermarket, a meal in a restaurant or a dish from a takeaway. 

The process of food production from farm to fork has many steps, and therefore, there are many opportunities for mistakes to happen. This is why information regarding product ingredients needs to be clearly tracked and communicated along every step of the journey. Near miss reporting is helpful in doing this effectively.

The 14 Food Allergens

Any food has the ability to cause an allergic reaction; however, certain foods are more likely to cause a reaction than others.

There are 14 food allergens that legally must be declared if they are used as an ingredient in a food product.

These are:

• Celery.
• Cereals containing gluten.
• Crustaceans.
• Eggs.
• Fish.
• Lupin.
• Molluscs.
• Milk.
• Mustard.
• Nuts.
• Peanuts.
• Sesame.
• Soya.
• Sulphur dioxide and sulphites.

Food businesses have a duty to be aware of these 14 food allergens and where they appear in their ingredients and recipes. This way, accurate information can be shared with food hypersensitive customers. In the event that a customer does come into contact with an ingredient which causes them harm, a near miss report should be filed and relevant action can be taken to reduce the chance of this happening again. 

To help you remember the 14 named allergens, we have a free downloadable poster which you can display in your workplace.

Need a Course?

Our Food Allergen Awareness course covers all aspects of providing a safe experience for food hypersensitive customers.

Natasha’s Law

In 2016, 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse experienced a fatal allergic reaction to a baguette she had bought from Pret a Manger. The baguette contained sesame – however, due to the lack of allergen information on the packaging, she was not made aware of this. 

An inquest into her death found that there had been six other cases of allergic reactions at Pret a Manger in the previous year; however, no action was taken to address this. This is a devastating example that shows just how crucial it is to have a near miss reporting system in place. Had the business been made aware of the issues and carefully recorded them, steps could have been taken to mitigate the risk and Natasha’s death may have been avoided. 

Following a successful campaign led by members of Natasha’s family, Natasha’s Law came into effect in 2021. The law requires all businesses to include full ingredient lists on food pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS), such as the baguette she consumed that day. 

For more information on what Natasha’s Law means for your business, take a look at our article here.

How to Manage Near Miss Reporting in Hospitality

You should take time to create an effective process for near miss reporting. It is important that all staff are aware of the process, that they understand how near miss reporting works and are encouraged to actively engage with it. You should consider the following points when managing near miss reporting in your business setting.

Proactively respond to customer concerns

It is important to encourage all customers and staff within the business to be proactive when it comes to near miss reporting. Working together will allow the capture of more incidents which we can learn from.

If a customer reports a near miss, you should consider your response carefully. Be aware that a customer may be frustrated or even angry when they report the incident to you. It is your responsibility to reassure the customer that there is a procedure in place within your business to deal with near misses, the incident will be fully investigated and steps will be taken to ensure this doesn’t happen again. 

This will show that you empathise with the customer and that you understand the importance of providing a safer dining experience for them and other food hypersensitive customers.  

Have a clear reporting system in place

A clear and accurate description of the near miss should be recorded, alongside the time and date of the incident. This information must be stored carefully and you should be able to access it with ease in the future. 

Following this, it is vital that a thorough analysis of the incident is completed so that the root cause can be found. You will then be able to put actions into place which will reduce the likelihood of the incident happening again in the future. By understanding the causes of the near miss incident, you can make recommendations and improvements to avoid other serious incidents in the future. 

Food safety management 

In order for any food business to be successful, there needs to be an effective food safety management system in place. A food safety management system enables you to comply with food hygiene laws and ensure that the food you handle is safe for your customers to eat. 

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is a food safety management system that helps businesses identify, evaluate and control the hazards that pose a significant risk to food safety. The HACCP evaluation will inform where there are risks of allergenic cross-contamination so that the business can implement an allergen policy and procedures for staff to follow in the workplace. 

HACCP is a system based on seven key principles. These are:

• Conduct a hazard analysis.
• Determine the critical control points (CCPs).
• Establish critical limits.
• Monitor the CCPs. 
• Establish corrective actions if a CCP is out of control.
• Establish verification procedures.
• Keep accurate documentation and records of each stage.

Near miss reporting should form part of your HACCP process and will allow you to identify hazards linked to food allergens much more effectively. As you go through your day to day tasks, try to keep an eye out for any new potential hazards and report them to the appropriate person, or make a note of them yourself. 

To learn more, check out our article: What are the 7 Steps of HACCP?

Allergen risk assessments

Your workplace should also conduct a food allergen risk assessment. Following the steps to identify the hazards and how to reduce the risk is likely to reduce the number of near misses your business encounters, as you will already have taken steps to ensure that the food you serve is free from allergenic cross-contamination. It can also be helpful to identify where you record allergen information, such as in an allergen information sheet so that all information relating to food ingredients and allergens can be clearly communicated to the customer when needed. 

Reporting near misses provides an opportunity to reassess the chain of food production and identify any issues. It may be that cross-contamination has occurred before a food item reaches your establishment, and without thorough investigation and root cause analysis, this would never have been known. The more potential hazards are investigated, the lower the risk will be in the future. 

You can download our free food allergen risk assessment and checklist templates through our article here.

Allergen policy

Your workplace should use HACCP and an allergen risk assessment to create an allergen policy. This must be accessible to all staff and should be regularly monitored and kept up-to-date. 

Food Allergy Aware and Jacs Allergen Management began a campaign in 2022 highlighting the importance of reporting near misses as part of best practices in the hospitality industry. You should have a near miss reporting system in place as part of your allergen policy in order to show due diligence and to demonstrate that you take catering for food-hypersensitive customers seriously.  

Whatever your role, you must ensure that you have read and understood the allergen policy, and be sure to ask for support from senior team members or experts if you need to. 

 Staff training

It is also important that all staff are fully trained and aware of the procedure for reporting near misses. As we mentioned previously, working together as a business with both staff and customers will allow you to have the best possible outcomes from near miss reporting. Those in management roles must ensure that training is put in place and keep a record of who has completed the training and when. If you are attending training which has been provided you should engage proactively and ask questions if you feel you need further clarification on anything.  

Alongside this, it is best practice to ensure all staff are trained in how to speak with food hypersensitive customers so that you can be confident in what to say and how to say it. 

For more information regarding the importance of effective communication in hospitality, take a look at our article here.

Near miss reporting doesn’t need to be something which becomes a difficult or time-consuming task. Instead, you should see it as an opportunity to demonstrate best practice and to show that you are willing and able to provide an inclusive and safe experience for all customers, especially for those with food hypersensitivities. Having effective measures in place to prevent incidents will allow you to feel confident and proud of the service you provide.

Further Resources:

• Food Allergen Awareness Training
• Food Allergen Risk Assessment & Checklist: Free Templates
• What Does Natasha’s Law Mean for My Business?
• Food Allergy Chart Template for Hospitality

The post The Importance of Near Miss Reporting in Hospitality appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

Allergies are unique to the individual and those who experience food allergies and intolerances will likely know which foods they can safely consume which don’t trigger a reaction for them. We call these ‘allergy free’ foods and they are unique to each individual.

This article will explore what allergy free can mean, provide inspiration and knowledge on what foods may be allergy free and give guidance on ensuring food safety.

What Does ‘Allergen Free’ Mean?

Allergen free is a term used by allergy sufferers to refer to food that does not contain any of the ingredients that cause an allergic reaction for that person. However, because allergen free foods are unique to the individual, there is no widely accepted or set definition for what allergy free means, rather, each person will have a list of their own allergy free foods. You might see the term used to refer to foods which do not contain any of the 14 named allergens in their ingredients list and you may also hear allergen free called ‘allergy friendly’ or ‘allergy safe’.

The 14 named allergens are:

1. Celery
2. Cereals containing gluten
3. Crustaceans
4. Eggs
5. Fish
6. Lupin
7. Milk
8. Molluscs
9. Mustard
10. Nuts
11. Peanuts
12. Sesame
13. Soya
14. Sulphites and Sulphur Dioxide

Those with allergies should always be given the right information when shopping in retailers or when eating out at catering establishments. As a catering business, it is important to offer menu items that can be deemed allergy free to customers and to give wider choices on your menu. Allergy free foods and substitutes can be used to replace common allergens in your menu items and recreate dishes that may already be familiar. This enables customers with allergens to be included and gives them choices when eating in your business.

However, it is essential that you are transparent with all the ingredients in a dish, and that you do not declare something as allergy free for all. Effective control of allergens through staff training, communication with customers and applying traceability procedures to your menu items and ingredients is paramount to the safety of your guests and your business’s success.

List of ‘Allergy Free’ Food

When thinking about creating allergy free, or free from allergen, menu items, you must consider all of the ingredients in the different components of the dish and the way it is prepared. Creating simple dishes with fewer ingredients should help limit the chances of them containing ingredients that people are allergic to. However, it isn’t always that easy and you must carefully check all your ingredients for allergens. We’ll look at food safety with regard to allergens further on in this article, but for now, let’s take a look at some ideas for allergy free foods.

As we’ve said above, allergy free has a different meaning for different people, and you must declare all ingredients in a product so that the customer can make an informed decision about whether the item is allergy free for them.

To help you think about dishes that could be allergen free, we’ve put together some ideas for starters, mains and desserts that don’t contain any of the 14 named allergens.

Need a Training Course?

If you want to extend knowledge of food allergens in your business, why not take a look at our Food Allergen Awareness Training which is designed to ensure learners have a thorough understanding of allergens and helps food handlers identify and label allergens correctly in order to comply with allergen laws and keep customers safe.

How to Ensure Food Safety Regarding Allergens

As we’ve mentioned, effective training of staff so that they can manage all customer’s needs is vital. It is also essential that there are effective control measures within your business to ensure that the ingredients and allergens listed for each menu item are accurate.

For instance, pre-cut chips often come coated in flour to prevent them from sticking together in the packet, and to ensure a crispy finish in the fryer – but flour contains gluten, which is one of the 14 named allergens, and as such it must be declared on your menu. Similarly, items you might not expect to contain allergens, do. For example, breadcrumbs can contain dairy and egg in the mix, and again, this must be declared on your menu. In addition to allergens being in the products themselves, you must also be aware of cross-contamination.

Preventing Cross-contamination

Cross-contamination can occur outside of your business, for example, a curry sauce you buy may be manufactured on the same line as a satay sauce – which contains peanuts. The manufacturer should inform you of the risk of peanut contamination from the satay sauce to the curry sauce and you must be aware of this so that you can reliably inform your customers.

Cross-contamination can also occur within your premises, through the way you prepare dishes, contamination of the prep area and staff error. Something simple such as deep-frying your gluten-free chips in the same oil as the breaded fish can lead to gluten contaminating the chips – and the menu item you thought was safe for those with gluten allergies no longer is.

Other steps that help avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen include making sure staff are washing their hands effectively, that they are wearing correct and clean garments when preparing allergy free food items and that they use the correct equipment – many businesses will use different colour-coded chopping boards and utensils to signify allergen free food prep areas. Similarly, food preparation areas must be thoroughly cleaned before and after preparing a meal that is allergy free and all staff should follow procedures to ensure safe food handling and avoid cross-contamination.

Following the tragic deaths of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, Owen Carey and Celia Marsh among many others, great steps have been taken in raising awareness and enforcing accountability in the food industry regarding the devastating impact that anaphylaxis caused by ingesting allergens can have on people’s lives. As a manager of a catering establishment, you have a duty to protect your customers and you must continually monitor your food safety procedures and take appropriate measures so that you can manage any potential allergenic risks in your business. To learn more about what Natasha’s Law means for your business, read our article.

Another way to manage the risks in your business is to make use of an allergen risk assessment. An allergen risk assessment is a way of determining the potential allergenic risks in your business. It can assess whether the controls you currently have in place are efficient. It also gives you the opportunity to identify any areas that need improving in order to keep your customers safe. You can read more about how to assess allergenic risks and make use of our free downloadable resources, in this link to our Food Allergen Risk Assessment.

We hope you have found this article informative and useful, and that you have a better understanding of what allergy free can mean to your customers. We hope also it has given you some food for thought and inspiration on what allergy free dishes you could offer in your restaurant. For any more information, feel free to get in touch. High Speed Training offers a wide variety of courses and resources that can help.

Further Resources:

• Food Allergen Awareness Training
• Food Allergy Awareness Quiz
• What Does Natasha’s Law Mean for My Business?
• Health and Safety in the Kitchen Quiz
• Recognising Oral Allergy Syndrome (Pollen Food Syndrome)
• Food Allergy Chart Template for Hospitality
• What are the Four Types of Food Contamination?
• Food Allergies: Myth Vs. Fact

The post What are ‘Allergy Free’ Foods? appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

In this article, we’ll outline the role of communication in the hospitality industry, whether you work in a small coffee shop or a large chain restaurant, as a team leader or as a weekend worker. We’ll explain why effective communication is so important (including the benefits it can bring and the barriers you may face) and provide you with a few top tips for improving communication in your own hospitality business.

What is the Role of Communication in Hospitality?

Good communication skills play an important role in all businesses, no matter their size and no matter how many people they deal with. Consider who you communicate with in your hospitality role currently – it may only be other staff members in the kitchen but it could also be hundreds of paying customers – and think about how you communicate with these people, for example, is it face-to-face or over the phone?

The nature of the hospitality industry means that you will likely be interacting with multiple different people on a daily basis, whether customers, staff or suppliers, so it’s important that you have effective communication skills. It’s also important that you understand each of these different people has different communication needs, so you should recognise how to tailor your approach accordingly for each individual.

The main role of communication in the hospitality industry is to promote inclusion, understanding and clarity for your customers.

To help with this, it’s useful to understand that communication can be split into two categories: verbal and non-verbal. Verbal communication is about the words you choose to use and the manner in which you say them. Non-verbal communication refers to your use of body language. When combined, verbal and non-verbal communication help to give people an overall picture of your meaning, so be aware of how the two interact. For example, if someone is apologising for being late for work but they’re shuffling their feet, fiddling with their fingers and avoiding eye contact, what impression does this give?

However, in all situations, be sure to consider the individual needs of the person you’re speaking to, as misunderstandings can arise if you’re unaware of someone’s communication difficulties. For example, a person on the autistic spectrum (a type of neurodiversity) may lack regular eye contact, but this doesn’t mean that they’re untrustworthy or disinterested. Similarly, someone with a cognitive impairment may require you to speak more slowly or loudly to enable their understanding.

Additionally, customers with food hypersensitivities may require more clarity and understanding from you, as in cases of severe allergies, they may be particularly anxious and the way you communicate with them can help to put them at ease.

Want to learn more about inclusive communication in the workplace? Take a look at our article, here.

Why is Effective Communication Important in Restaurants?

Effective communication is important in the hospitality industry because it:

• Improves relationships, both in-house amongst workers and between employees and customers.
• Promotes inclusivity, as both staff members and customers are treated like individuals, listened to and communicated with according to their needs.
• Allows customers to have a safe experience, especially those with food hypersensitivities.
• Increases productivity, as everyone has clear expectations for their standard of work and recognises how to ask for help.
• Leads to increased sales, as customers are better informed about the service you provide and food you offer.

Communication with Colleagues

Good communication between colleagues is important in a restaurant because, if communication breaks down, relationships will struggle and efficiency will be reduced. It can also lead to a toxic work environment where high employee turnover becomes a problem.

If you’re a front or back-of-house employee, then effective communication is particularly important for ensuring the right information reaches the right people. For example, if a customer explains to the server that they have coeliac disease, it is vital that this information is passed on to the kitchen staff accurately. Communication is also important for ensuring tasks get done efficiently between members of your team, maintaining positive relationships with your colleagues and enabling you to support others if they need help.

If you’re a team leader or manager, then effective communication is important for problem solving, leading the team with conviction and establishing trust. It enables you to increase the productivity of your staff members as they are kept well-informed of their tasks and your expectations. As a leader, good communication skills enable you to build solid relationships with your team members so that they feel motivated, valued and in-line with your vision.

As highlighted previously, communication is key when it comes to keeping customers safe. Particularly when serving customers with food hypersensitivities, it is vital that the whole team are aware of the ingredients which are used in all of the food products on offer, so that food hypersensitive customers are not exposed to an ingredient which would cause an adverse reaction.

Communication with Customers

Effective communication is important for your restaurant customers because, without it, they may not receive the level of service they expect, may leave you a bad review online or – even worse – may experience a fatal allergic reaction because they’ve received incorrect or misconstrued information.

Communicating accurate allergen information to your customers is paramount in hospitality and perhaps the most important role that effective communication plays. By law, all food businesses must be able to provide accurate allergen information to customers, and a large part of this means being able to communicate the information clearly. This includes both written and verbal communication.

It is important for staff to be aware of allergies, and also wider food hypersensitivities, including food intolerances and coeliac disease. Allergies can range from mild to life-threatening. Food intolerances tend to cause unpleasant symptoms but are not life-threatening. When it comes to coeliac disease, as with allergenic ingredients, even trace amounts can cause an adverse reaction, damaging the person’s small intestine.

All members of staff must be able to verbally communicate accurate information about which of the 14 allergens are included in each food product you make, sell or serve. If a customer requests allergy information, it’s essential that you understand how to find that information and that you communicate the correct answer to them in a way they can understand.

Natasha’s law also means that foods prepared, packed and sold on the same premises (PPDS) – for example, a sandwich or salad packed on site – must include an ingredients list, with allergens clearly highlighted. Businesses must also include ‘may contain’ allergens in the ingredients list – for example, if they cannot be certain of avoiding any cross contamination from any of the named allergens. To learn more about Natasha’s Law, check out our article here. 

Sadly, Natasha’s case is not an isolated incident. In 2017, Owen Carey suffered a fatal allergic reaction to a burger which he ate, having received incorrect allergen information, this time, provided by the server in the restaurant.

Owen’s Law is a campaign set up by members of his family. Part of the campaign states that best practice for businesses is to have allergenic information clearly visible on the face of the menu for all customers to see for themselves. The FSA (Food Standards Agency) agreed at their board meeting on 13th December 2023 that written allergen information should be compulsory in food businesses like coffee shops and restaurants. This is an important step in allergen awareness and board members will now write to the Government calling for change, backing the Owen’s Law argument.

It is important to think about not only the requirements by law when it comes to communicating allergenic information but also how you might be able to go above and beyond to communicate this information to customers.

Food Allergen Awareness Training

At High Speed Training, we offer a range of training courses that can help you develop the skills you need to be successful in your hospitality setting. This includes our food allergen awareness course. Food Allergen Awareness.

Communication Barriers in the Hospitality Industry

Communication in the hospitality industry isn’t always easy and sometimes you’ll find yourself involved in a difficult conversation, whether it’s with a colleague or a customer. Misunderstandings can also happen if communication is ineffective, leading to conflict or customer dissatisfaction.

Often, the reason for poor communication is because of barriers that prevent you from communicating effectively. For example:

• Noise – restaurants are often busy, loud environments and it can be difficult to make out what people are saying, even if they’re shouting.
• Different languages – language barriers can occur in many industries but particularly in restaurants where the majority of workers are from overseas. If your restaurant is in a touristy area or big city, you may also serve non-English speaking customers on a regular basis.
• Accessibility – certain disabilities and neurodivergences can make communication, whether verbal or written, more difficult or not as accessible – and even more so if you’re unaware that a customer or colleague needs additional help understanding.
• Demanding customers – sometimes, a customer will have a complaint or a question and won’t let you get a word in. This makes communication difficult because the conversation is one-sided and gives you little chance to offer assistance.
• Closed body language – body language and other forms of non-verbal communication are just as important to remember when you are trying to communicate effectively. Closed body language includes: little or no eye contact, limited facial expressions and creating barriers with items or folded arms. These can make you seem disinterested and unapproachable. 
• Not listening properly – there is a difference between simply hearing and actively listening. The latter involves reacting to what has been said in a meaningful way. People can easily get frustrated if they feel they are not being properly heard.

Want to Learn More?

At High Speed Training, we offer a range of training courses that can help you develop the skills you need to be successful, including communication. This includes courses like Managing Customer Conflict and Communication Skills.

How to Improve Communication Skills in Your Restaurant

Improving your communication skills in hospitality is simple to do and will bring many benefits to you and your customers. Often, you just need to make small changes to ensure your communication is as effective as it can be.

Consider the following advice for improving communication skills in hospitality:

• Regularly ask for feedback from your peers and act on what they say. Try to identify your weak spots and then improve them; for example, perhaps you’re good at communicating orders from customers but not so good at listening to what the kitchen staff says in response.
• Listen to feedback from your customers, too, as they’ll have valuable information you can learn from. Remember to listen actively to what they tell you and proactively take on their suggestions about where you can improve.
• If you manage a team, schedule regular staff meetings to ensure everyone is kept in the loop about what’s going on in the business. This will encourage discussion, give workers the chance to ask questions and ensure all relevant information is communicated to them.
• Ensure you understand how to handle difficult communication, like disagreements with colleagues and unhappy customers. Sometimes it’s better to walk away and end the conversation rather than retaliate. You could also call in a manager to help explain something or pause and rephrase your point in a clearer way.
• If language barriers are a problem in your business, then do what you can to remove them. For example, you could offer training in video format as well as written documents, use simple words rather than restaurant jargon, print menus in different languages and with pictures or consider hiring an interpreter.
• Remember the importance of inclusive language for those who need extra help understanding due to a disability or neurodivergence. Amongst many other things, this may mean speaking slower, allowing someone to see your face when speaking if they need to lip-read, offering large-print menus or choosing words that are much clearer and more specific.
• Adopt positive or ‘open’ body language. From a person’s body language, we can infer how they feel. Therefore, it’s important to keep in mind the attitude you want to convey with the body language you use. Open body language includes: direct and regular eye contact, having uncrossed arms and legs, using a range of facial expressions and maintaining a relaxed posture.
• Be prepared to show empathy and understanding, especially when dealing with customers with additional requirements such as food hypersensitivities.

We hope you’ve found this article on the importance of effective communication in the hospitality industry both informative and helpful. If you have any further questions, or wish to find out more information on the topics covered in this article, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at High Speed Training!

Further Resources: 

• Communication Skills Training
• What is Food Hypersensitivity?
• Food Allergy Chart Template for Hospitality
• The Importance of Stocktaking in Hospitality: Guide for Managers
• Disabled Access Requirements for Restaurants
• Employee Turnover in Hospitality: Causes and Retention Strategies
• Restaurant Hospitality Quiz
• Top 8 Skills for a Successful Career in Hospitality
• Personal Hygiene Tips for Food Service Staff
• Upselling Techniques in Restaurants
• The Importance of Food Hygiene Training
• How to Set a Table: Basic, Casual and Formal Dining

The post What is the Importance of Effective Communication in the Hospitality Industry? appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

An ingredients list is an essential part of food labelling. It provides consumers with all of the necessary information regarding what is contained within a product by listing all of the ingredients used. This is especially important when it comes to food allergens, and by law, all allergenic ingredients must be declared on an ingredients list in order to protect consumers. 

In this article, we will look at what an ingredients list is in detail and explain why they are so important in food manufacturing. We will also examine which products require an ingredients list, and provide guidance as to how you might go about creating an ingredients list.

What is a Food Ingredients List?

By law, manufacturers must comply with the food labelling regulations, and therefore must have a list of ingredients on their packaged food products. 

An ingredients list helps to illustrate exactly what a food product contains. As with the mandatory nutritional information, an ingredients list is commonly found on the side or back of food packaging, and it contains a list of all the ingredients used in a product. These ingredients should be listed in descending order of weight at the mixing bowl stage of production, starting with the main ingredient. 

A list of ingredients should have a heading consisting of, or including, the word ‘ingredients’. The ingredients refer to any substance, including additives, used in manufacture and still present in the finished product.

There are also additional labelling requirements for additives and water in food products:

• For additives – Certain ingredient names must be preceded by their function such as colours, thickeners and emulsifiers. Any individual ingredient greater than 2% of the finished product must be declared in descending weight order. Ingredients which are less than 2% of the finished product are usually grouped together at the end of the list, Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Article 18 – Annex VII, Part A – retained in UK law.  For example: Raising Agents (Sodium Bicarbonate, Ammonium Bicarbonate, Disodium Diphosphonate). Some additives such as certain artificial colours require you to add a warning to the label ‘May have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children’. For more guidance on food additives legislation for the UK and EU, check out our article. 
• For water – It must be declared as an ingredient if it makes up 5% or more of the finished product. However, this doesn’t apply to water that is intended to be drained away such as tuna in brine, or if water has been used to rehydrate a dried or powdered ingredient.

Need a Course?

For more information, take a look at our Food Labelling Regulations training course. It explains each of the food labelling requirements under the Food Information Regulations 2014 and FIC Regulations in detail, ensuring that you understand your legal requirements.

Why is an Ingredients List Important in Food Manufacturing?

As we’ve discussed, an ingredients list is a vital part of food labelling for manufacturers, and there are a number of reasons for this.

First of all, it is a legal requirement for food manufacturers to provide an ingredients list when a food product contains two or more ingredients. 

In order to ensure that consumers can make an informed choice about the products they purchase, the law says that all food labels must be:

• Clear and easy to read.
• Permanent.
• Easy to understand.
• Easily visible.
• Not misleading.

Trust

Food products that are labelled accurately and display ingredient information clearly can be seen as more trustworthy to customers. One of the main aims of food labelling is to prevent food fraud from occurring – consumers want to be certain that what they’re buying is actually what they think it is, rather than being misled by false representation on packaging.

Quality

Consumers are aware that ingredients lists are in descending quantity order, they may use this information to compare similar products and make a judgement on the product quality and value for money. 

Customers may also look for certain ingredients as a sign of quality – such as butter in a spread, or 100% beef burgers as opposed to burgers with cereal fillers. Some customers view the ingredients list to avoid particular ingredients, such as added sugars, or additives for health reasons. For more information on clean label packaging and food trends, click here.

Reputable Suppliers

Another reason for ensuring your food labels are up-to-date is because manufacturers and retailers look for reputable suppliers that have systems and processes in place to ensure all of their food labels are accurate when sourcing ingredients and products. For more information on reputable suppliers, check out our article, here.

Financial Cost

Both manufacturers and retailers could face high costs as a result of incorrect labelling. Food business operators not complying with food labelling law could be subject to large fines if found to be labelling their products incorrectly. 

A retailer or manufacturer with incorrectly labelled products may also need to recall the product and dispose of it, these costs are often significant and are compounded by the loss in sales. Additionally, an incorrect label will require the label to be redesigned and changed (or over-stickered), on average this will set a business back several thousand pounds.

Food Allergens and Natasha’s Law

Another essential reason for having an ingredients list is to provide allergen information to consumers. It’s estimated that 2 million people in the UK have a diagnosed food allergy, and if someone consumes food that they’re allergic to, their reaction can range from mild rashes and swelling to a life-threatening shock in the body. With such serious consequences on the line, it’s clear why there are food safety and labelling laws in place.

By law, all food businesses must follow the allergen information guidance found in the EU Food for Consumers Regulation (EU FIC), written into The Food Information Regulations 2014. More information about these regulations can be found here.

If a food product contains any of the 14 named food allergens, this must be declared and emphasised within the ingredients list. Most manufacturers bold the allergenic ingredients, however emphasis can include capitalising and underlining.

The 14 named allergens are: 

1. Celery.
2. Cereals containing gluten.
3. Crustaceans.
4. Eggs.
5. Fish.
6. Lupin.
7. Molluscs.
8. Milk.
9. Mustard.
10. Nuts.
11. Peanuts.
12. Sesame.
13. Soya.
14. Sulphur dioxide and sulphites.

You can find a free downloadable poster of the 14 named food allergens in our article, here. You can also test your knowledge with our Food Allergens in Manufacturing Quiz. 

As of October 2021, Natasha’s Law has come into effect, which requires food businesses to include full ingredients labelling on all prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) foods. Natasha’s law means that foods prepared, packed and sold on the same premises – for example, a packed on site sandwich or salad – must carry an allergen label. 

Businesses must also include ‘may contain’ allergens in the ingredients list – for example, if they cannot be certain of avoiding any cross-contamination from any of the named allergens. An allergen risk assessment should be completed to identify cross-contact allergens from the factory lines and from the ingredients themselves. You can find a free allergen risk assessment template and checklist, here. The allergen profile of an ingredient should also be considered when sourcing to reduce the number of cross-contact allergens in a product.

For more information on Natasha’s Law, take a look at our article: ‘What Does Natasha’s Law Mean for My Business?’

Need a Course?

Our Food Allergens in Manufacturing course provides information about the foods that commonly trigger allergic reactions and how these should be displayed on food packaging. It also explains which procedures and practices must be followed to prevent contamination between allergenic and non-allergenic ingredients in manufacturing premises. For food handlers in a catering or retail environment, we offer Food Allergen Awareness Training.

Cereals Containing Gluten

People who must avoid products that contain gluten also often rely heavily on the ingredients label to tell them which ingredients contain gluten. Gluten is not listed explicitly as an allergen on a product label in the UK, but needs to be in the form of the gluten-containing ingredient itself. The most common is wheat, barley or rye.

For example, the label on bread might say wheat flour, water, yeast, salt. The emphasised word indicates which ingredient contains the allergen. For more information on the ingredients that contain gluten and how to label products correctly, check out our article: ‘How to Identify Which Foods Contain Gluten’.

Which Products Require an Ingredients List?

As previously mentioned, an ingredients list is required by law when a food product contains more than two ingredients. However, there are also food and drink products that are exempt from the requirement, and therefore do not need to have an ingredients list.

Examples include: 

• Whole unpeeled vegetables such as potatoes.
• Uncut fruits. 
• Carbonated water, if described as carbonated.
• Milk and butter with no added ingredients other than those needed to make them.
• Products with just one ingredient, such as herbs and spices.
• Drinks with an alcoholic strength greater than 1.2%.

Constituents that are not required in an ingredients list, include:

• Components of an ingredient that, during product manufacture, were temporarily isolated but then reintroduced in their original proportions. For example, if egg yolk and egg white were used separately in a product, they could be declared as ‘egg’.
• Non-functional carryover additives and enzymes.
• Processing aids, such as additives, enzymes and other substances.
• Carriers for additives, enzymes, flavourings and nutrients.
• Water that is used and absorbed during a process, such as in reconstituting concentrated or dried ingredients.

Ingredients List Examples

As previously discussed, an ingredients list needs to contain everything contained in a food product, listed in descending order of weight at the mixing bowl stage of production, starting with the main ingredient. However, there are also other components to consider.

Compound Ingredients

A compound ingredient is an ingredient that is itself the product of more than one ingredient, such as breadcrumbs. All the components of the compound ingredient must be declared in brackets immediately after the compound ingredient appears in the ingredient list. For example – Vegetable Oils (Coconut, Palm).

Fats and oils must be defined as from animal or vegetable origin and any hydrogenated fats or oils must be declared separately.

Quantitative Ingredient Declaration (QUID)

The quantity of a named or implied ingredient must be declared. The Quantitative Ingredient Declaration (QUID) is given in brackets immediately after the ingredient appears in the ingredient list or in the name of the food. This provides further information to customers and will likely influence the perceived quality of the product, as well as allowing the customer to make a more informed decision when comparing two similar products.

The quantity of an ingredient must be provided if:

• A specific ingredient appears in the name of the food, for example: tomato purée (57%).
• An ingredient is emphasised on the packaging through words, pictures or graphics, for example: pineapple juice (9%), passionfruit juice (3.9%), mango puree (1.7%).
• The ingredient is commonly associated with the food by consumers, for example: a Spaghetti Bolognese ready meal would declare Beef (22%).

The image above shows the ingredients list for a Chicken Chargrill product (marinated, seared and glazed chicken chunks). The quantity of the chicken must be declared as it is in the name of the product. Wheat flour and starch are compound ingredients and are declared in brackets immediately after the compound ingredient. This brand has chosen to bold and capitalise the allergenic ingredients in order to emphasise them, wheat is emphasised as it is a cereal containing gluten. The additive soya lecithin is preceded by its additive function ‘natural emulsifier’. 

This product also has additional information about the ingredients for the consumer to learn about what lecithin is used for and why a 100% chicken breast declaration can be labelled in the ingredients as 75%.

PPDS ingredients lists do not require QUID within it, with the exception of meat products. The Food Standards Agency provides guidance on PPDS labelling for butchers. 

The ingredients within your product also dictate whether you are required to add a warning to the label. As previously mentioned, some artificial colours can cause hyperactivity in children and the label therefore must contain this warning. Further examples of ingredients that require a warning include aspartame, raw milk and liquorice.

We hope you’ve found this article on how to create an ingredients list both informative and helpful. If you have any questions, or need further information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at High Speed Training!

Further Resources

• Food Labelling Regulations
• Food Allergen Awareness
• Food Allergens in Manufacturing
• Vegan Food Products: What are the Labelling Requirements?
• Why is Food Labelling Important?

The post How to Create an Ingredients List appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

The impact on the food industry was economically catastrophic for all involved – from consumers, supermarkets, food production companies and the meat industry, and had a massive impact on the UK economy. Companies were understandably keen to distance themselves from the huge blow Horsegate had on the whole food industry. This article will look at what we have learned, ten years on from the horsemeat scandal.

What was the Horsemeat Scandal?

To recap, the horsemeat scandal occurred when meat from horses erringly entered the supply chain as beef. Once it was in the supply chain, the horsemeat ended up in many different products sold in the UK. Initially identified in Ireland, the scandal stretched across Europe and beyond. The horsemeat scandal infiltrated numerous supply chains and led to millions of products being withdrawn across Europe, costing businesses millions of pounds. Additionally, there was a huge loss of consumer confidence in some of the biggest brands in the UK market.

Where did it start?

In December 2012, the Food Standards Agency Ireland (FSAI) tested a range of frozen foods. The tests showed unknown DNA present in the samples and so they were tested again for bovine (cow), porcine (pig) and equine (horse) DNA. The results came back with over a third of the products containing equine DNA, and 85% of the total products containing pig. The FSAI released their findings in January 2013, and the horsemeat scandal broke in the following weeks throughout the industry.

How did horsemeat end up in our food?

One of the issues the scandal highlighted was how vulnerable to food crime the supply chain is. Once the FSAI had reported their findings, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK and the European Commission encouraged the industry to test all of its beef products for horse meat. These tests revealed that the “beef” in frozen lasagne and spaghetti Bolognese, made by French manufacturer Comigel, was up to 100% horse. Comigel supplied products to Tesco, Aldi and Findus. The investigations into how horsemeat came to be in certain foods then unravelled across Europe.

What Was the Impact of Horsegate on Consumers?

At the time, Horsegate had many consequences, not least for the consumers who became unsuspecting victims. Consumers became economic victims of this food crime when they paid for beef and instead, unknowingly, received a cheaper alternative in horsemeat.

They were victimised further by the fact they had eaten horsemeat without knowing whether it had been contaminated with illegal pharmaceuticals, such as phenylbutazone (commonly known as Bute). Bute is a drug given to horses but banned from human consumption. Any horse that receives Bute treatment cannot enter the human food chain.

Lastly, consumers became victims from a psychological perspective as they unintentionally ate an animal that many people consider a pet. Some people may have experienced trauma resulting from the guilt and disgust of eating an animal that’s not usually seen as a food source.

How Did Consumers and Businesses Respond?

This sentiment of consumer victimisation had a major impact on consumer confidence in meat products. In the immediate aftermath of the horsemeat scandal, there was a drastic fall in consumer confidence in supermarket products. A Which? report from March 2013 found that 6 in 10 consumers had changed their shopping habits. 30% of consumers were buying less processed meat, and 24% were choosing vegetarian ready meals instead of meat ones. Consumer trust fell by a dramatic 24%.

Furthermore, the lack of trust in cheaper processed supermarket meals was linked to a rise in organic sales. The economic downturn from 2008 had previously put sales of organic food in a downward trend. However, the Soil Association reported that organic sales increased by 8.4% from January 2013 to February 2013, indicating that consumers were buying organic as a sign of integrity and quality.

Since then, the world has experienced many upheavals with Brexit, the COVID pandemic and inflationary pressures causing a cost of living crisis. However, it remains clear that consumers put their trust in brands that deliver what is important to them – sustainability, traceability and value for money. And still, the UK organic market continues to grow, reaching a record £3.05 billion share of the market in 2022. The data shows that during crises, shoppers chose organic for health, transparency, integrity and sustainability reasons.

Winning back trust that was damaged during the horsemeat scandal saw many supermarkets commit to buying more British meat. Tesco – whose own brand burgers were found to contain 29% horsemeat – promised to tighten up their supply chain, source British meat and be more transparent about the supply of their products. Using British meat and local suppliers where possible is part of the manifesto for many UK supermarkets. You can read more about the best of British food in our article here.

Indeed, in 2019, Lidl committed to spending £15 billion with British suppliers between 2020 and 2025. The discount store has recently increased this to £17 billion, expecting to spend £4 billion on British suppliers this year alone. Clearly, this demand for supporting local producers and gaining transparency and traceability of supply chains remains at the forefront of what consumers want.

Consumers continue to be encouraged to look for 100% British products and those with the Red Tractor logo as this shows the product is fully traceable, has been made to world-class standards and has been independently inspected.

Avoiding certain products by choosing traceable, organic or vegetarian meals instead of cheaper meat-based ready-meals shows consumers’ feelings toward food businesses. By communicating via their wallet and shopping patterns, consumers continue to send a clear message to the industry about what is important to them.

In a bid to restore consumer faith in the aftermath of the horsemeat scandal, the Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) commissioned a report to establish how it happened and what steps should be taken to prevent it from happening again. The report, titled the Elliott Review, was published in 2013.

Image Credit

What Were the Recommendations from The Elliott Review?

Published in 2013, in the wake of the horsemeat scandal, the Elliott Review looked at the weakness of our food supply chain and suggested measures for improvement. Its purpose was in response to a growing concern about the system used to deter, identify and prosecute food crime. The review made recommendations designed to protect food businesses and help restore consumer confidence. According to the review, there are 8 pillars of food integrity and they must all be considered together. A summary of their main points is shown below.

A Decade On: What Did the Horsemeat Scandal Teach Us?

The horsemeat scandal no doubt taught us how susceptible to fraud and crime the food industry can be, and that, where there are weaknesses, there are people who will exploit them. Food supply chains are vital in ensuring food safety and traceability of products, meaning both manufacturers and consumers can easily trace food back to its origins. You can read more about the importance and management strategies of food supply chains in our article – Food Supply Chain: Importance & Management Strategies. The Elliott Review made it clear how the extent of food fraud and food crime had previously been unrecordable.

For instance, in attempts to quantify the level of food crime, the Elliott Review contacted the territorial police forces in England and Wales who mentioned the problems with obtaining this information. There was no central body in charge of these types of crimes and there was no central database to store records. This meant you could not search for crimes relating to food fraud or food crime. The call to industry to request evidence of food fraud also had limited results, either being insignificant concerns or already widely known problems.

This lack of accountability and centralisation did not help in the war against food fraud. Indeed, the loopholes and ‘under the radar’ approach that criminals have taken are the primary reason they have been able to get away with food crimes so successfully. The horsemeat scandal is an example of how criminals can infiltrate supply chains of legitimate businesses without their knowledge and cause a huge impact both across the industry and down to individual consumers.

Since the horsemeat scandal, the recommendations of the Elliott Review have been considered, and together with government and industry, have helped defend the nation from fraudsters and organised criminals.

How Have the Recommendations Been Implemented?

Ten years on from the Elliott Review, we may ask ourselves, are we any safer? What have the government and the food industry done to protect consumers? Are we more resilient to food fraud now than we once were? And what is the impact of Brexit, Covid and the higher cost of living crisis we find ourselves in now? All these economic threats provide opportunities for criminals to exploit weaknesses in our food supply chains. So, are we any safer?

There were three major recommendations made in the Elliott Review. Firstly, the formation of the Food Industry Intelligence Network (FIIN), a not-for-profit organisation to bring together a number of large food businesses to share intelligence on food authenticity testing. The organisation is still thriving with more than 50 member companies working together to protect each other and their customers from fraud.

Secondly, the most controversial of the recommendations was the formation of a National Food Crime Unit (NFCU), and the Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit (SFCIU), under the FSA board. Since their inauguration, they have moved from solely gathering intelligence to investigating serious food fraud activities across the UK. This allows the FSA to work more effectively with industry and makes industry better at probing the details of their supply chains and sampling their ingredients and products.

In a recent report, the NFCU showed it registered 59 disruptions with the National Crime Agency in the first nine months of 2022 and secured the first conviction following a Unit-led investigation. However, there is more they could do, such as applying for search warrants, seizing evidence and interviewing suspects who are under arrest. The FSA has launched a consultation on this matter in 2022 and granting such powers will better allow organisations greater strength in tackling organised crime.

The third positive outcome of the report was the establishment of the Food Authenticity Network (FAN). This has provided a unique online platform for the sharing of huge amounts of information and training for those who test for and audit food authenticity. With a membership now in the thousands it has become a resource for many around the globe.

…But are we in a better position now than we were in 2013?

When we compare 2013 to 2023, we can see there have been strides made towards implementing the 8 pillars that Elliott recommended. The National Crime Unit (NCU) is an integral part of keeping our food safe. Ideally, as Elliott recommended, the NCU should have its own authority to make arrests and lead investigations, such as the Dutch unit do. However, they do work very closely with Europol and the Food Fraud Network, and continued involvement and cooperation of these bodies will help us combat food fraud.

Evidence of this is seen in the annual coordination of Interpol and Europol and their food fraud investigations under the operation title Opson. Every year Opson works with numerous countries and reports its findings on food fraud.

Opson comes from the Greek word meaning food. The Opson VI investigation saw the involvement of 61 countries.

Furthermore, in the wake of Horsegate, there has been a considerable increase in authenticity testing. Carried out as part of general industry audit work, it involves targeted and planned testing. In April 2014, a second round of coordinated pan-European testing for horse meat DNA in beef products was launched. This second round of testing showed only 0.61% of samples tested positive, a vast improvement.

Should We Still Be Worried?

There is no doubt that big steps have been taken to help make our food safer and less at risk of food fraud and food crime, but there is always more to be done with this ever-advancing crime. In recent years, we’ve seen new challenges to the safety of our food and an understandable emerging concern among consumers around labelling. Consumers should be able to trust that a product contains what it says it does – or doesn’t.

An example of the essential nature of correct labelling and passing information to consumers was highlighted in the inquest into the death of Celia Marsh, who died from anaphylactic shock to milk protein that was found in a ‘dairy-free’ super veg rainbow flatbread. The product was labelled as containing a “dairy-free coconut yoghurt alternative”, yet as was revealed in the inquest, the coconut yoghurt product had been contaminated. During the manufacturing process, an ingredient in the yoghurt called HG1 had become cross-contaminated with milk protein. The manufacturer of the dairy-free yoghurt had in its possession documents that flagged this risk but this risk was not passed on to its customers.

Looking to Learn More?

If you want to extend your knowledge of food allergens and labelling, why not take a look at our Food Allergen Awareness Training and Food Labelling Regulations Course.

Furthermore, as Professor Chris Elliott details in his ABC of issues – Austerity, Brexit and Complacency – all have a detrimental impact on those working to keep our food safe. The cost of living crisis makes bargain hunters of us all, leaving people vulnerable to fraud and exploitation. Brexit has had a disturbing impact on border control, leaving our borders weak and exposed. Whilst the complacency is evident in the government’s announcement that checks on food imported from the EU would not be subject to new controls until the end of 2023.

Case Study 1

Recent scientific work from the Quadram Institute in Norwich has established a test to differentiate between buffalo mozzarella and mozzarella made with cows’ milk. To test the usefulness of this work, they sampled mozzarella from supermarkets and restaurants.

Findings

Eight samples from the supermarkets had ingredient labels saying buffalo mozzarella and 100% were labelled correctly. Of the five samples from the supermarkets that were labelled as simply ‘mozzarella’, 100% were made with cows’ milk.

Of the products sold as ‘supermarket pizza carrying buffalo mozzarella’, ‘supermarket pizza carrying mozzarella’, ‘restaurant pizza bearing buffalo mozzarella’, and ‘restaurant other (salads and pastas) also bearing buffalo mozzarella’- two thirds of these had at least some cows’ milk in the cheese. In some cases, the buffalo mozzarella advertised was in fact 100% cows’ milk mozzarella.

Conclusion

Consumers are the obvious victims in these cases. As buffalo mozzarella is a premium product, they are paying more for a product they are not getting. However, consumers are likely not the only victims. The fact that some mozzarella was a blend of buffalo and cows’ milk indicates that the adulteration happened early in the supply chain. This means that restaurants and supermarkets are also victims, as too might be the cheese producers, if they are unwittingly supplied milk from undeclared sources.

Case Study 2

Since 2014, restaurants and takeaways have been required by law to tell customers if a dish contains any of the 14 allergens. There have been numerous cases recently where peanuts have entered dishes through spice mixes.

Due to a global shortage in 2014 after failed crops in Southeast Asia, prices of cumin increased. This meant mixes were being bulked up with cheaper alternatives to keep costs down. Sometimes this is done fraudulently and proprietors don’t know the product contains other ingredients. At other times, it is labelled correctly and it is the proprietor who fails to pass this information onto the customer. This was sadly the case for Paul Wilson who died from anaphylactic shock after eating a takeaway containing peanuts in 2014.

What’s Changed Since Horsegate?

Since Horsegate, retailers have taken enormous steps to improve their supply chains, and the big retailers have stringent testing processes in place. However, as Elliott warns, food chains are now so complicated that the finished product we buy from our suppliers, or as consumers from the supermarket shelves, could easily have untraceable and fraudulent content. The only way we would know this is if we put it under a microscope and tested the content of the product itself. As purchasers, this is not feasible, and so we rely on those who can to stamp down on food crime on our behalf.

Recent research by NFU highlighted that consumers trust takeaways the least in terms of serving fraudulent food, indicating they need to work harder to prove their integrity. The type of food consumers trusted least was processed foods and red meat. Horsegate has clearly had a lasting effect on the consumer psyche.

As a food retailer – whether it be a takeaway, restaurant, butcher’s shop, catering supplier or anything else – having traceable food, a short supply chain, and stocking British food items will all go a huge way to establishing yourself as a reputable establishment and in gaining customer support.

What Did We Learn?

The horsemeat scandal taught us a lot about our vulnerabilities when it comes to food fraud, not least the impact a high-profile case like that can have on the economy, and the wider food industry across continents. After such a scandal, people understandably felt uncertain about food and lost trust in food provenance.

Additionally, the results of Opson VI (March 2017) resulted in the seizure of fraudulent foods for an estimated sum of £205m. But food crime is already a billion-pound business and links to organised crime are well known. In Italy, it is dubbed ‘agromafia’. The food fraud business is estimated to be more lucrative than the small arms trade and drug smuggling combined.

The take-home message we should learn from the horsemeat scandal must be this: food crime is real, it happens globally, and it costs every single person dearly.

Should we still be worried? In short, yes.

Where there is potential for crime to exist, criminals will exploit and thrive in all the gaps they find. As food crime grows, so does the cleverness of the criminals and the ways in which they can infiltrate the industry.

What Can We Do?

Food fraud is a topic we all need to stay on top of. We all need to take responsibility for preventing food fraud and food crime where we can, both as workers within the industry and as consumers.

If you suspect something fraudulent happening within your business, supply chain or supermarket, you can check your company whistleblowing procedure, or report it confidentially through the FSA website, via email, or by calling the Food Crime Confidential line on 020 7276 8787.

There is no doubt food fraud costs businesses every day. As a business, implementing awareness and prevention programmes, training your staff and using suppliers with food defence strategies, will all help reduce this cost, and combat food crime. Showing your commitment to implementing prevention measures could give your business an edge and create strong ties with your customers.

Up Next: What is Food Fraud Costing Your Business?

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