With increasing awareness concerning the effects of food allergens, businesses that sell, produce, and serve food products must try to step up their training regarding foods that can potentially cause allergic reactions in their patrons.
Potential Allergens and Food Safety Certification MN
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All food allergens fall into eight distinct groups:
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Soy
- Milk and dairy
- Eggs
- Wheat and gluten
Easily recognizable in this list as potentially dangerous allergens: fish, shellfish, tree nuts, and peanuts. Handling these allergens with incredible care is vital to prevent them from coming into contact with other foods. People allergic to these can have severe and instant reactions to even the slightest contact.
Steps to Keep Food Product Safe from Allergens
Firstly, educating ourselves is crucial in dealing with potential allergens. Every employee with food safety certification in MN should know what potential allergens are and where they come from. Above all, a list of allergen categories and the foods in those categories must be easily accessible to those who work with food.
In addition to being aware of the significant allergen groups, food workers should know which allergens are in the foods they produce or serve. Awareness of products containing egg, milk, soy, or wheat ingredients is essential. Many of these ingredients can be known by different names that do not directly indicate they are derived from these allergens. Being familiar with the ingredients of pre-packaged sauces, spice mixes, and other food products that are brought in rather than made on-site is essential in preventing allergic reactions.
Finally, thoroughly clean any preparation tool that has come into contact with these potential allergens. Everyday items that come into contact with these foods are oven mitts, tongs, knives, slicers, and other production tools that frequently come into contact with food products.
With some training and diligence, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of accidental allergen contact significantly.