It’s very important for all caterers to be aware about food allergies and food intolerance and to take them seriously.
When someone has a food allergy, their immune system reacts to a particular food as if it isn't safe. If someone has a severe food allergy, this can cause a life-threatening reaction.
Food intolerance doesn’t involve the immune system and is generally not life-threatening. But if someone eats a food they are intolerant to, this could make them feel ill or affect their long-term health.
This factsheet covers:
- food on your menu
- potential problem areas
- serving staff and food allergies and intolerances
- if something goes wrong and a customer has an allergic reaction
- the legal situation