SOUTHEND Council is offering support to food businesses in the borough so that they can be prepared for new rules aimed at protecting allergy-sufferers.

Currently, when, for example, supermarket bakeries, delis, cafes and restaurants sell loose foods, they don’t have to provide information to customers about food allergens. However, from December 13 all food businesses will need to verbally explain or display allergenic information for the food they sell or provide.

The primary cause of food allergy deaths in the UK is due to allergic reactions when food is consumed outside the home where allergenic ingredients have not been declared.

The new rules will mean that all food businesses will need to inform customers if any of 14 allergenic ingredients are present in the food they make or serve.

This can be communicated to customers in writing on menus, verbally through explanations by staff or signposted to where or how more information can be found.

Mike Assenheim, Southend councillor for regulatory control, spoke to a number of local restaurateurs during October to ensure they were aware of the impending changes.

He says that a couple of them have since reported that they are already complying with the new regulations before they come into force.

He said: “Food allergies can cause life-threatening reactions and the numbers of people with this condition are growing.

“We want to help local businesses to comply by this important new change, which is why the council’s environmental health team has mailed commercial caterers, home caterers, childminders and manufacturers across the borough.

“Businesses could be missing out on vital custom by not providing clear and accurate allergen information about the food they sell or serve. If any business needs advice and guidance on the new rules, they can get in touch with one of our food safety officers for further help.”

According to the Food Standards Agency, food allergies affect approximately five to eight per cent of children and one to two per cent of adults.

This means that around 2million people in the UK are living with a food allergy. People with food allergies can react to very small amounts of food, such as a teaspoon of yoghurt, a single peanut or even an egg glaze used to brush over pies.

There is no cure for food allergies, so the only way for people to manage the condition is to avoid the food that makes them ill.

This is where providing accurate food allergen labelling and information is important, and why food businesses, local authorities and the Food Standards Agency are all working together to ensure consumers have clear and accurate information.

Easy-to-understand information for businesses is available at www.food.gov.uk/science/allergy-intolerance/ To help enforcement officers and businesses with these new rules, the FSA has developed a range of training and education materials.

Advice is available at www.food.gov.uk/allergy and www.food.gov.uk/allergen-resources