Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses

Food Allergen and Intolerance
Information Kit for Food Businesses

Food Allergen and Intolerance
Information Kit for Food Businesses

ii Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
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Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses iii
Contents
WHAT: What are food allergens 1
and intolerances and how do they
affect my business?
About allergens in food 2
What is an allergic reaction? 2
What are the signs and symptoms of an 2
allergic reaction?
What are the types of reaction? 2
What is anaphylaxis? 3
What’s the difference between allergy 3
and intolerance?
Action plan for anaphylaxis 4
What is coeliac disease? 5
What are sulphites? 5
What is cross-contamination? 5
Appendixes
Appendix 1 Resources 23
Appendix 2 Glossary 26
Appendix 3 Suppliers quick reference guide 27
WHY: Why do I need to do anything 7
about food allergens and intolerance?
Statutory requirements 8
Declaring ingredients 8
Labelling 9
New labelling format 9
Labelling exemptions 9
HOW: How can I help my customers 11
and comply?
Responding to customer enquiries 12
Allergy and intolerance cards 12
Tips for being allergen safe 13
Food allergen matrix 13
Identifying food allergens/additives 14
Step-by-step guide to identifying food allergens 14
in your products
Exercise: Identifying food allergens/additives and 15
completing a food allergen matrix
Answers 18
A completed example 20
Template 21

iv Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
WHAT
What are food allergens and intolerances
and how do they affect my business?
About allergens in food
What is an allergic reaction?
What are the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction?
What are the types of reaction?
What is anaphylaxis?
What’s the difference between allergy and intolerance?
Action plan for anaphylaxis
What is coeliac disease?
What are sulphites?
What is cross-contamination?

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
About allergens in food
Some people are allergic to particular foods. If they eat
or have any contact with those foods, they will have an
allergic reaction that can range from mild to very severe
and even life-threatening. All food businesses should be
aware of food allergens in order to protect their customers
and themselves.
What is an allergic reaction?
A food allergy develops when a person’s immune system
reacts to a particular food allergen. An allergic reaction
occurs when a person is exposed to food they are
allergic to and their body’s immune system reacts to that
food allergen.
Symptoms maybe localised or generalised and range from
mild to severe. Symptoms may include hives, swelling,
vomiting, diarrhoea, noisy breathing, difficulty breathing
and/or collapse.
The most common causes of food allergic reactions are:
• egg
• peanut
• tree nut
• cow’s milk
• soy
• wheat (not gluten)
• fish and shellfish
What are the signs and symptoms
of an allergic reaction?
Mild to moderate allergic reaction
• Tingling of the mouth
• Hives, welts or body redness (see image)
• Swelling of the face, lips, eyes (see image)
• Vomiting, abdominal pain
Severe allergic reaction––Anaphylaxis
• Difficulty and/or noisy breathing
• Swelling of the tongue
• Swelling or tightness in the throat
• Difficulty talking or hoarse voice
• Wheeze or persistent cough
• Loss of consciousness and/or collapse
• Pale and floppy (young children)
What are the types of reaction?
There are two types of reaction to a food allergy.
Immediate reaction
This is the typical food allergy. A person’s immune system
reacts to an allergen in a food by producing antibodies
as soon as there is contact with the food. When these
antibodies react with the allergen, immune factors are
released, which cause symptoms such as hives, swelling,
vomiting, diarrhoea, noisy breathing, difficulty breathing
and collapse.
Delayed reaction
In this case, a person’s immune system reacts to a food,
but the reaction does not involve the production of allergy
antibodies to that food. Food allergies with a delayed
reaction can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, irritability, poor
weight gain (in babies and children) or weight loss and
abdominal pain.

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
What is anaphylaxis?
Child with an allergic
reaction after eating
peanuts
Photo: Anaphylaxis
Australia (www.
allergyfacts.org.au)
medicalmediakits.
com
Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of an allergic reaction
and it can be life threatening.
The term is used to describe a severe allergic reaction
that involves the respiratory system (breathing) and/or
cardiovascular system (heart and blood pressure).
The signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis may occur almost
immediately after exposure or within 20 minutes after
exposure. Rapid onset and development of potentially
life-threatening symptoms are characteristic markers of
anaphylaxis.
The most common causes of anaphylaxis are peanut, tree
nuts, eggs and cow’s milk.
What’s the difference between food allergy
and intolerance?
Many people don’t understand the difference between
food allergy and food intolerance. This may be due to the
fact that symptoms can be similar.
A food allergy is due to an immune response to a
particular food. Symptoms range from skin reactions
such as hives and swelling of the face to anaphylaxis with
difficulty breathing, noisy breathing and possibly death.
Food intolerance is not due to an immune response
to a food. Intolerance may occur due to substances
contained within a food (e.g. scombroid fish poisoning,
where histamine levels are high) or to a metabolic defect
such as lack of an enzyme (e.g. lactose intolerance is due
to the lack of an enzyme that is used to digest lactose).
Symptoms include stomach pain and discomfort such
as bloating, nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting, but food
intolerance is not life threatening.
Food intolerance has been associated with asthma,
chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome.
Foods that tend to cause intolerance reactions in sensitive
people include:
• lactose in cow’s milk
• flavour enhancers such as MSG (monosodium
glutamate)
• food additives
• strawberries, citrus fruits and tomatoes
• wine, particularly red wine
• histamine and other amines present in some foods.

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
Action plan for anaphylaxis
Using an EpiPen®/EpiPen® Jr.
An important aspect of anaphylaxis (severe allergy) management is prevention and avoidance of the cause.
However, when a reaction does occur, emergency treatment is required. In immediate food allergy, a reaction can
develop within minutes of exposure to the allergen. This can be treated effectively by using an adrenaline injection
(EpiPen® or EpiPen® Jr).
If an EpiPen® or EpiPen® Jr is used, an ambulance must be requested by phoning 000.
NOTE: Not all people at risk of anaphylaxis carry an auto injector such as the EpiPen® or EpiPen® Jr. If signs and
symptoms match those of anaphylaxis/severe allergic reaction, call an ambulance.
This is a copy of an action plan
for anaphylaxis, outlining the
first aid management of an
allergic reaction and showing
how to give EpiPen or EpiPen Jr,
if anaphylaxis develops.
The plan was developed by the
Australasian Society of Clinical
Immunology and Allergy
(ASCIA).
Copies of the action plan can
be downloaded from the ASCIA
website www.allergy.org.au––
and should be used in your
first aid kit and displayed as a
poster at your premises.
Reproduced with the permission of ASCIA.

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
What is coeliac disease?
Coeliac disease may also be called gluten intolerance or
gluten sensitivity. It is an auto-immune disease; this means
the body’s immune system attacks itself when gluten
is digested. (It is not an allergy.) The only treatment for
coeliac disease is a strict lifelong gluten-free diet. It is not
a fad diet, although some people choose to follow this diet
for non-medical reasons (and not stringently). It is not to
be confused with wheat allergy or intolerance.
When a person with coeliac disease eats as little as a
crumb of bread, damage occurs to the lining of their small
intestine, which stops the body from absorbing nutrients
properly. In the long term, this can lead to unexplained
weight loss, chronic anaemia, osteoporosis and eventually
malnutrition.
The type of reaction experienced by sufferers of coeliac
disease can be similar to those of a food intolerance––
stomach pain, nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting. This
reaction sometimes happens immediately or in other cases
is delayed for several hours. It is not life threatening, nor
does it cause anaphylaxis.
What are sulphites?
Sulphites are additives. They are used as a preservative to
preserve colour and flavour of foods and inhibit bacterial
growth (e.g. sulphur dioxide).
Although they are not allergens, they can cause an allergic
reaction, particularly in asthmatics. (See Fact sheet 7 for
more information.)
What is cross-contamination?
Cross-contamination must be considered in all food
businesses. Although a particular food product does not
contain allergens, cross-contamination may occur when
processing an allergen-free food product with or near
another food product which does contain an allergen.
Cross-contamination can occur when:
• using the same knives, utensils or chopping board for
different types of food
• reaching across surfaces or equipment
• using the same cooking equipment (such as deep fryers,
grills, sandwich makers)
• storing allergen ingredients with or near non-allergen
ingredients (such as in the same refrigerator)
Customers who are very sensitive can suffer an allergic
reaction even if only a very, very small amount of an
allergen is present.
Coloured utensils, labels and equipment are available to
assist in the prevention of cross-contamination during
food preparation.
Coloured utensils are used with matching coloured
chopping boards for specific foods to prevent
cross‐contamination.

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
WHY
Why do I need to do anything about
food allergens and intolerance?
Statutory requirements
Declaring ingredients
Labelling
New labelling format
Labelling exemptions

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
Statutory requirements
As a food business you are required by law to declare
the most common ingredients known to cause allergic
reactions when they are present in the food that you
prepare and sell.
The Food Standards Australia and New Zealand Food
Standards code (FSANZ) outlines these legislative
requirements.
The code states that if any of the following ingredients are
contained in food––whether as an ingredient, compound
ingredient, food additive or processing aid––they must be
declared, no matter how small the amount:
• crustaceans and their products (e.g. prawns)
• peanuts and their products
• soybeans and their products
• tree nuts and their products
• sesame seeds and their products
• fish and fish products
• egg and egg products
• milk and milk products
• gluten and cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, oats,
barley and spelt)
• added sulphites (in concentrations of 10mg/kg or more).
Declaring ingredients
• Check all ingredient labels of food products used in the
production of your food products for the presence of
common food allergens.
• If you package or repackage food, you must list the
presence of these substances in the ingredient list on
the label.
• Where food is not in a package and is displayed on the
premises a person must be available to advise.
Where the food is for retail or catering purposes and
is exempt from labelling… the required allergen
information must either be displayed on, or in
connection with the display of the food, or provided to
the purchaser upon request.
Food Industry Guide to Allergen Management and Labelling––
2007 Revised Edition
• Where food is consumed on the premises (such as in
a restaurant), the information must be provided to the
customer upon request, either verbally or in writing.
• If inaccurate information is provided to a customer, it
could result in a life-threatening situation. There could
also be financial implications if a customer decides to
take legal action against you.

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
Labelling
New labelling format
The revised 2007 Food Industry Guide to Allergen
Management and Labelling outlines the new labelling
format that is recommended for pre-packaged foods. The
guide provides an overview of the regulatory requirements
in Australia and New Zealand for the mandatory
declaration of food allergens and recommends the
standardisation of food labelling in Australia.
The guide recommends that allergenic ingredients are
highlighted in bold with a summary statement and a crosscontact
statement for easy identification. The revised guide
also lists other alternative recommended labelling formats.
For further information visit the Australian Food and
Grocery Council website (www.afgc.org.au).
Labelling exemptions
Some foods, as stated by the Code, may not need full
labelling to be labelled:
• food not in a package
• food made and packaged on the premises from where
it is sold
• food packaged in the presence of the customer
(e.g. sliced meat from a deli)
• whole or cut fruit and vegetables
• food delivered packaged and ready for consumption
at the express order of the purchaser (e.g. meals
on wheels)
• food sold at fundraising events.
However it must be noted that certain information must
always be provided with food.
Examples are:
• country of origin requirements
• mandatory warning statements and advisory statements
• nutrition information panel (NIP) if claims are made for
the food
• prescribed name of the food if one exists in the Code
• directions for use and storage
[See Standard 1.2.1 2 (2) (a) to (n) of Australia New Zealand
Food Standards Code for the full list]

10 Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses 11
HOW
How can I help my customers and comply?
Responding to customer enquiries
Allergy and intolerance cards
Tips for being allergen safe
Food allergen matrix
Identifying food allergens/additives
Step-by-step guide to identifying food allergens in
your products
Exercise: Identifying food allergens and
completing a food allergen matrix
Answers
A completed example
Template

12 Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
Responding to customer enquiries
By law, you must provide accurate information about
whether foods contain allergens.
Many food business customers will ask for information
about allergens, check labels of pre-packaged foods and
check menus.
Customers may have a variety of reasons for enquiring
about food on your menu. Customers may enquire whether
foods are vegetarian, vegan, halal or kosher, for example.
They may have a dairy intolerance (i.e. lactose intolerance)
or could suffer from a severe peanut allergy.
It is good customer service to provide information about
whether your food is halal or vegetarian. However, this is
not a legal requirement. It is a legal requirement to provide
information on common allergens.
You can provide information to your customers by:
• answering questions accurately (try making your chef
available)
• labelling prepacked foods accurately
• providing warnings on menus (e.g. ‘this dish
contains eggs’)
• making an information pamphlet available
• developing a food allergen matrix that is up to date
and accurate
• ensuring all staff understand how to use the food matrix
• understanding the difference between a wheat allergy
and coeliac disease
• using the names of common allergens in the menu
description (e.g. ‘egg custard’, ‘peanut nougat’).
Allergy and intolerance cards
Some customers present allergy or intolerance cards.
These cards provide businesses with details about the
customer’s allergy. They may include details of how
sensitive the customer is, when cross-contamination is
an issue and what action should be taken if the customer
suffers an allergic reaction.
I have been medically diagnosed with coeliac disease
and must eat a strict gluten free diet
I CANNOT EAT foods that contain wheat, rye, barley or oats
such as pasta, couscous, breadcrumbs, batter, bread, pastry, cakes,
biscuits unless they are specifically made using gluten free flours.
Please check the ingredients in processed meats, soups, sauces,
gravies, dressings and custards.
I CAN EAT a variety of foods including unprocessed meats, fish,
eggs, fruit, vegetables, dairy products, rice, corn (maize), polenta,
lentils, soy and potato.
If you have any queries when preparing my meal please ask me.
Example of an allergy card that may be presented at your
food business.

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses 13
Tips for being allergen safe
• Keep your dishes standard by always using the same
ingredients each time a dish is prepared.
• Use prominent labels identifying products that
contain allergens.
• Train staff about food allergens and the potential
consequences of providing inaccurate information.
• Keep your food allergen matrix up to date (refer to the
exercise on preparing a food allergen matrix, page 15)
and in a known location so it is easy to refer to.
• Train staff in dealing with customer requests in relation
to food allergies and in reading and understanding the
food allergen matrix.
• Always allow the customer to decide for themself
whether to eat a particular food product.
• Consider offering several ‘allergen-free meals’ on
your menu.
• Once you have developed and implemented your food
allergen matrix, why not promote your business as an
allergy aware business?
Food allergen matrix
You should be able to demonstrate that you have assessed
all foods at your business for food allergens. The easiest
way of doing this is to develop a food allergen matrix.
A food allergen matrix is a quick information guide that
shows which foods available from your food business
contain which allergens.
If you use standard recipes and don’t vary ingredients
in your dishes your allergen matrix will be an accurate
information tool for staff to refer to when they receive
customers queries about allergens in certain foods.
(See the filled-out example matrix on page 20 and the
template on page 21.)
• Ensure all staff members (including new and temporary
staff) are trained on how to use the matrix.
• Last-minute changes to dishes must be assessed for
allergens and all staff must be informed of changes.
• The chef or cook should be responsible for updating the
matrix.
• If you substitute ingredients or change suppliers the
matrix should be updated.

14 Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
Identifying food allergens
To identify food allergens in the food that you prepare
and sell, you must look at each ingredient of every food
product.
1 Obtain information from suppliers: finished food
product
Suppliers who manufacture and deliver food in an un
packaged state to your food business for sale must
provide comprehensive ingredient details. If you
receive a customer enquiry, you are then able to refer
to or provide the ingredient listing to the customer for
their assessment.
2 Obtain information from suppliers: raw materials
Check whether any raw ingredients delivered to you
have been processed in some way. For example,
dried fruits may have had sulphur dioxide or a
vegetable oil added. Always check labels or product
specification sheets.
Ask your suppliers about possible cross-contamination
risks and what measures they take to avoid them.
3 Customers to read pre-packaged food labels
If a product is pre-packaged and has a food label,
customers who suffer from an allergy or an intolerance
can read the label and determine whether they can
safely eat the food product.
Step-by-step guide to identifying food
allergens in your products
Step 1 Obtain an accurate list of all ingredients for each
food product you produce (including compound
ingredients and processing aids).
Step 2 Familiarise yourself with the food allergen fact
sheets (see accompanying fact sheets).
Step 3 Assess each ingredient to determine whether
it is an allergen. Use the allergen fact sheets to
assist you as well as carefully checking labels and
information from suppliers.
Visit www.foodstandards.gov.au to access food
additive information (see Standard 1.3.1 for
information on food additives).
Step 4 Keep all details of ingredients for each menu item
with your food allergen matrix (see page 16) for
easy reference.
Step 5 Develop your allergen matrix. Update the matrix
as needed.
Step 6 Identify cross-contamination risks at your
premises by assessing all food preparation and
storage processes (see page 5 and Fact sheet 9
for more information).

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses 15
Exercise: Identifying food allergens/additives and completing a food allergen matrix
1 Read through the example menu. List the ingredients for each of the highlighted red menu items.
(We have done this for you below.)
Reserve
Café Bar and Restaurant
Menu
Entree
Chicken ravioli with Thai dressing
and snow pea shoot salad
Leek, goat cheese and ricotta tart served with a
salad of rocket and parmesan
Spicy red lentil dhal soup served with naan bread
Main course
Barramundi fillets marinated in coriander and served
on steamed jasmine rice with broccolini and chilli jam
Chicken tagine with preserved lemon, green olives and
cous cous topped with a sumac labna
Pan-fried cheese and herb-crumbed veal medallion
with a tomato and roasted capsicum sauce
Dessert
Lemon curd tart with sorbet/compote of
ruby grapefruit, orange and blood orange
Affogato – a shot of frangelico and espresso coffee
with vanilla ice cream on a tuille wafer
Slow-baked quince and caramelised pear crumble
with lashings of cream

16 Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
Exercise continued
2 Identify the food allergens from the ingredients lists. Underline each allergen.
Entree
Chicken ravioli with Thai dressing
and snow pea shoot salad
Chicken ravioli
Thai dressing
Snow peas
Capsicum
Ingredients
Chicken mince, spring onion, sweet chilli sauce (water, sugar,
chilli, garlic, salt, vinegar, stabiliser: xanthan gum (E415)),
coriander, sesame oil, lime zest, wonton wrapper (wheat flour,
water, salt, colour 102, preservatives 300, 281), egg
Ingredients
Fish sauce (anchovy extract, water, salt, fructose, hydrolysed
wheat protein) palm sugar, lime juice, peanut oil, sambal oelek
(chilli, sugar, salt, garlic, distilled vinegar, potassium sorbate,
sodium bisulphite, xanthan gum)
Main
Barramundi fillets marinated in coriander
and served on steamed jasmine rice with
broccolini and chilli jam
Chilli jam
Coriander marinade
Barramundi fillets
Rice
Broccolini
Dessert
Lemon curd tart with sorbet/compote of
ruby grapefruit, orange and blood orange
Lemon curd
Pastry
Oranges
Sorbet
Grapefruit
Ingredients
Chillies, onion, garlic, vegetable oil, palm sugar, tamarind liquid
Ingredients
Peanut oil, sambal oelek (chilli, sugar, salt, garlic, distilled vinegar,
potassium sorbate, sodium bisulphite, xanthan gum), Asian basil
leaves, Vietnamese mint leaves, palm sugar, minced ginger, raw
peanuts, minced garlic, lime juice, coriander, fish sauce (anchovy
extract, water, salt, fructose, hydrolysed wheat protein)
Ingredients
Egg, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, caster sugar, unsalted butter
Ingredients
Egg, plain flour (wheat), caster sugar, unsalted butter, rice flour,
vanilla essence, baking powder (phosphate aerator (450),
cornflour, sodium bicarbonate (500))
3 Once you believe you have identified all allergens place a tick under the appropriate column for the corresponding
menu item on the food allergen matrix below.
Continue to do this until you believe you have identified all the allergens on the ingredients labels. Check your choices
against the answers on the following page.

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses 17
Exercise continued
Food allergen/additive matrix
Business name: Reserve Café Bar and Restaurant
Food safety supervisor: Arnold Thomson
Date of last food
January 2009 Date of new review:
Every time ingredients
allergen/additive matrix:
are changed
Menu item
Milk/
dairy
Egg
Peanut/
tree nuts Fish Shellfish Soy Sulphites* Sesame
Wheat/
gluten
Chicken ravioli
Thai dressing
Chilli jam
Coriander
marinade
Barramundi
fillets
Lemon curd
Pastry

18 Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
Answers
Below are the answers from the exercise. The allergens are highlighted in red and the sulphites are highlighted in green.
The food allergen/additive matrix below has ticks in the appropriate columns.
Entree
Chicken ravioli with Thai dressing
and snow pea shoot salad
Chicken ravioli
Thai dressing
Snow peas
Capsicum
Ingredients
Chicken mince, spring onion, sweet chilli sauce (water, sugar,
chilli, garlic, salt, vinegar, stabiliser: xanthan gum (E415)),
coriander, sesame oil, lime zest, wonton wrapper (wheat flour,
water, salt, colour 102, preservatives 300, 281), egg
Ingredients
Fish sauce (anchovy extract, water, salt, fructose, hydrolysed
wheat protein) palm sugar, lime juice, peanut oil, sambal oelek
(chilli, sugar, salt, garlic, distilled vinegar, potassium sorbate,
sodium bisulphite, xanthan gum)
Main
Barramundi fillets marinated in coriander and
served on steamed jasmine rice with broccolini
and chilli jam
Chilli jam
Coriander marinade
Barramundi fillets
Rice
Broccolini
Ingredients
Chillies, onion, garlic, vegetable oil, palm sugar, tamarind liquid
Ingredients
Peanut oil, sambal oelek (chilli, sugar, salt, garlic, distilled vinegar,
potassium sorbate, sodium bisulphite, xanthan gum), Asian basil
leaves, Vietnamese mint leaves, palm sugar, minced ginger, raw
peanuts, minced garlic, lime juice, coriander, fish sauce (anchovy
extract, water, salt, fructose, hydrolysed wheat protein)
Dessert
Lemon curd tart with sorbet/compote of
ruby grapefruit, orange and blood orange
Lemon curd
Pastry
Oranges
Sorbet
Grapefruit
Ingredients
Egg, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, caster sugar, unsalted butter
Ingredients
Egg, plain flour (wheat), caster sugar, unsalted butter, rice
flour, vanilla essence, baking powder (phosphate aerator (450),
cornflour, sodium bicarbonate (500))

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses 19
Answers continued
Food allergen/additive matrix
Business name: Reserve Café Bar and Restaurant
Food safety supervisor: Arnold Thomson
Date of last food
January 2009 Date of new review:
Every time ingredients
allergen/additive matrix:
are changed
Menu item
Milk/
dairy
Egg
Peanut/
tree nuts Fish Shellfish Soy Sulphites* Sesame
Wheat/
gluten
Chicken ravioli 4 4 4
Thai dressing 4 4 4 4
Chilli jam
Coriander
marinade
Barramundi
fillets
Lemon curd 4 4
4 4 4 4
4
Pastry 4 4 4

20 Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
A completed example
Food allergen/additive matrix (completed example)
Business name: Reserve Café Bar and Restaurant
Food safety supervisor: Arnold Thomson
Date of last food
January 2009 Date of new review:
Every time ingredients
allergen/additive matrix:
are changed
Menu item
Milk/
dairy
Egg
Peanut/
tree nuts Fish Shellfish Soy Sulphites* Sesame
Wheat/
gluten
Pesto sauce 4 4 4
Hamburger 4 4 4 4 4
Parmigiana 4 4 4
Chicken roll 4 4 4
Fish balls 4 4
Spring roll 4 4 4 4
Meat balls 4 4
Eggplant dip 4 4 4
Olive bread 4
Napoli sauce 4 4
Lasagne 4 4
Cheese puffs 4 4 4 4 4
Wedges 4 4
Mushroom dip 4 4
Omelette 4 4
Caesar salad 4 4 4 4 4
SAMPLE
Salad dressing 4 4 4
Understanding and using your food allergen/additive matrix
For example, a customer enquires whether the Caesar salad contains egg.
Step 1 Locate ‘Caesar salad’ under your menu items.
Step 2 Move across to the egg column.
Step 3 There is a tick; that means eggs are present. (This would have been
determined when ingredient labels and raw ingredients were checked.)
Please note: This is how a completed food allergen/additive matrix should look. The allergens selected for
each menu item above are for example purposes only. They should not be viewed as being correct.
Note: Sulphites are additives. Although they are not allergens, they can cause an allergic reaction.

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses 21
Food allergen/matrix template
Food allergen/additive matrix
Business name:
Food safety supervisor:
Date of last food
allergen/additive matrix:
Date of new review:
Menu item
Milk/
dairy
Egg
Peanut/
tree nuts Fish Shellfish Soy Sulphites* Sesame
Wheat/
gluten

22 Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses 23
Appendix 1
Resources
Newspaper articles on food allergens

24 Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
Finding food additive information
Visit www.foodstandards.gov.au.
Once in the site, click on ‘Food matters’.
Then click on ‘Food additives’. You can choose to view a list of additives either by name or number, in html or pdf format.
Click on ‘pdf’ and then ‘Save’ to download a file copy.

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses 25
Useful websites
Anaphylaxis Australia: www.allergyfacts.org.au
Food Standards Australia: www.foodstandards.gov.au
Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy: www.allergy.org.com.au
The Coeliac Society: www.coeliacsociety.com.au
The Allergen Bureau: www.allergenbureau.net
The Food Intolerant Consumer: www.foodintol.com
NSW Food Authority: www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au

26 Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses
Appendix 2
Glossary
allergic reaction
anaphylaxis
compound ingredients
cross-contamination
emulsifier
food additives
food allergen*
gluten
HACCP
ingredient
intolerance
halal
kosher
processing aids
vegan
vegetarian
Occurs when an individual is exposed to a substance and the body’s immune system reacts
to that substance. May be localised or generalised and range from mild to severe. Symptoms
include hives, swelling, vomiting, diarrhea, noisy breathing and difficulty breathing.
A severe form of allergic reaction which involves breathing difficulty and/or sudden drop of
blood pressure. Anaphylaxis can be life threatening.
A compound ingredient is an ingredient that has been made from two or more other
ingredients (e.g. chocolate chips are made from sugar, vegetable oil and cocoa powder).
The indirect passing of allergens or harmful substances from one food to another via improper
cleaning or separation of equipment, procedures or products. (For example, small amounts of
an allergen or bacteria can be transferred to one food from another by hands, food-contact
surfaces, sponges or cloths and utensils without careful attention to HACCP procedures.
An additive that promotes the formation of a stable mixture (e.g. vegetable oil).
Food additives are substances generally added to food to enhance its flavour, aroma or colour,
alter the texture or nutritional content or preserve the food. A food additive is not normally
eaten or drunk by itself.
A substance in foods, food ingredients or components of an ingredient that cause an
immune response.
The main protein of the cereal grains wheat, rye, barley, oats and triticale and their derivatives.
Ingredients made from these grains and foods containing them (e.g. malt, wheat starch,
beer, soy sauce) may contain enough gluten residue to be harmful to individuals with dietary
intolerance to gluten.
a system to identify and control food safety hazards
Any substance, including a food additive, used in the preparation, manufacture or handling
of food.
Associated with symptoms after eating a substance that the sufferer’s body cannot handle.
This happens when the person’s digestive system does not produce sufficient quantities of a
particular enzyme needed to break down the food and aid digestion. Alternatively, there can
be a substance in a food that can cause symptoms directly.
permissible under Islamic law, often used to describe food that conforms to Islamic dietary law
Food that is prepared according to Jewish dietary law.
Aids used in the preparation, handling and manufacture of food products (e.g. flour used to
roll rissoles).
a strict vegetarian diet where no dairy, eggs or animal products are eaten
a diet made up of plant foods, avoiding all meat; some vegetarians (lacto-ovo vegetarians) eat
dairy products and eggs, while vegans avoid all animal products
* Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) defines a food allergy as: ‘Foods, food ingredients or components of an ingredient that can cause
severe adverse reactions in some individuals.’

Food Allergen and Intolerance Information Kit for Food Businesses 27
Appendix 3
Suppliers quick reference guide
Record your food suppliers contact details in this table and use it as a quick reference guide when making an enquiry
about allergens or intolerances prior to changing a recipe.
Food supplier Type of food Contact details