Some customers must avoid eating or drinking a certain food for medical reasons. 

The only way to prevent an allergic reaction is for your customer to avoid the food allergen.

Learn about food allergies and how to protect people with food allergies.

In this section

• Definition
• Major food allergens
• Lower the risk
• Safety tips
• Training and resources

Related

See food labels

Food allergy

A food allergy triggers an allergic reaction when someone’s immune system reacts to certain proteins in food. There is no cure for food allergies.

Food allergic reactions

Food allergic reactions range from mild to severe. Severe food allergy reactions are often called anaphylaxis.

Mild to moderate symptoms

• Hives
• Itching
• Swelling of the lips, face or mouth

Severe, life-threatening symptoms

• Difficult breathing
• Repetitive vomiting
• Rapid pulse
• Loss of consciousness that may result in death

Nine major food allergens

Nine major food allergens cause most allergic reactions in the United States. 

• Crustacean shellfish 
• Eggs 
• Fish 
• Milk
• Peanuts 
• Sesame
• Soy
• Tree nuts 
• Wheat

Tips for all staff

You should know

• The nine major food allergens
• Where to find the list of ingredients for all recipes
• How to prevent cross-contact with allergens
• That cooking does not kill food allergens

Take food allergies seriously

Trace amounts of allergens can trigger an allergic reaction.

Prepare with care

Food workers play an important role in keeping customers will food allergies safe.

Avoid cross contact

Cross contact can happen:

• When one food, or food residue, containing an allergen comes into contact with another food.
• From allergen residue on a food contact surface, such as utensils or equipment.
• From improper food preparation or storage.
• From improper cleaning and sanitization of food contact surfaces.
• From improper hand washing and glove use.
• If food packaging does not have a label or has an incorrect label that does not list allergens in the food.

Tips for managers

Communicate effectively about allergens with customers and staff.

Training

• Include allergies in your food safety plan.
• Assign a person to be responsible for your food allergen management plan.
• Train staff on washing hands and changing gloves when preparing allergen-free foods.
• Use best practices to avoid cross-contact contamination including proper cleaning and sanitizing.
• Train staff what to do if a customer has a severe allergic reaction during a meal.
• Display food allergen signs, posters or flyers for staff.

Menu items

• Keep on-site accurate recipes listing all ingredients
• Ask customers to tell their server if they have a food allergy
• Provide allergen information for your customers. Consider putting it on your menu.

Labeling and storage

• Accurately label all prepackaged foods for self-service with ingredients and major food allergens.
• Store bulk ingredients with major food allergens separately from other foods.

Tips for back-of-house staff

Allergen-free food order

• Pay extra attention to orders flagged for food allergies.
• Wash hands and change gloves when preparing allergy-free meals.
• Always use clean and sanitized food contact surfaces.
• Follow safe food preparation procedures to avoid cross-contact with allergens.
• Tell front-of-house team which dishes are allergen free for service to the table.
• Give allergen free food items directly to server or to customer instead of setting the food item on the expo shelf,

Returned food

• If a food item is returned to the kitchen for an allergen reason, always remake the item.
• Do not try to remove an allergen and send the food back.

Labeling and storing

• Store all major food allergens separately in sealed and labeled containers.
• Know the ingredients, including allergens, in garnishes, toppings, sauces and dressings.

Menu items

• Update ingredient lists kept onsite when recipes change.

Tips for front-of-house staff

Customer communication

• Listen carefully to customer requests. Repeat back the food allergy requests to the customer.
• Help customers in finding menu items that do not include certain allergens or that can be made without allergens.
• Answer customer questions about food allergens honestly. If you don’t know, don’t guess.
• Share cross-contact risks (if any) with customers who have food allergies.
• Always let the customer make their own informed decision.

Serving allergen-free food

• Clearly communicate customer allergy information to the kitchen staff.
• Take allergen-free orders to the table separately as soon as they are ready.
• Follow your business’s food safety allergen plan on when to tell your manager about a customer’s food allergy questions.

Food handler training

• We offer free food allergen awareness training to food businesses in Minneapolis. 
• Learn more and request free voucher codes on our food handler training page.
• Businesses outside of Minneapolis can take the training for a small fee. 

See Food handler training

Resources about allergens

• Download our allergen resources for food workers in English and Spanish
• See food labeling from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture 
• See food allergens from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• See allergen labeling from the FDA