Allergen Incident Management and Emergency Response
Recognising and responding
An allergic reaction can be rapid and life-threatening (anaphylaxis). Signs include swelling of the face/lips/throat, difficulty breathing or swallowing, wheeze, widespread hives, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, and a feeling of impending doom. Call 999 for breathing difficulty, throat swelling, collapse or multiple body systems affected. Adrenaline auto-injectors (e.g. EpiPen, Jext, Emerade) are prescribed to individuals; staff should know the emergency plan, where the person's auto-injector is, and how to summon help. Do not rely on antihistamines for anaphylaxis.
Managing incidents
If a customer reports a reaction, stop service of the food, get medical help, keep the food and packaging for investigation, and record what happened. Investigate root cause (supplier, recipe, cross-contact, communication), correct the control, and update the risk assessment. Report to the local authority and consider product withdrawal/recall if a product is mislabelled or unsafe. Maintain a traceability trail (batch, supplier, date).
Traps
- Antihistamines are not a treatment for anaphylaxis.
- Staff should not delay calling 999 to 'see if it settles'.
- Prescribed auto-injectors belong to the individual; do not assume a generic one is available.
- A single incident still requires root-cause investigation and record-keeping.
Worked example
A diner develops hives and wheeze after eating a dessert labelled nut-free. Staff call 999, stay with the customer, retrieve their auto-injector if trained and instructed, retain the dessert and packaging, record details, and investigate whether the supplier or kitchen caused cross-contact.