Peanuts, being among the
top eight allergy-causing
foods, are banned outright
by some school districts, but
in a restaurant kitchen, that’s
hardly practicable. In fact,
the National Peanut Board
(NPB) is active in its efforts to
serve as a resource for chefs,
and addresses both front- and
back-of-the-house issues.
NPB sponsors an educational
module in The Culinary
Institute of America’s ProChef.
com series.
“NPB also provides funding
for research to find solutions
for food allergy sufferers and
to fund educational programs
to mitigate the effects of
food allergies,” says Raffaela
Marie Fenn, NPB’s president/
managing director. Fenn points
out the importance for all
chefs—from the newly minted
to the veteran—to never
hesitate to say, “I don’t know.
Let me check.” “The most
important thing is a dialogue
between the customer, in
regard to their needs, and the
staff knowing where to go for
answers,” she says.
Law now requires Ontario
schools to have anaphylaxis
management plans, including
staff training, in place.
an
educated staff
GLUTEN-FREE AT COLORADO STATE
In addition to the top eight foods that trigger approximately 90
percent of all food-related allergic reactions (milk, shellfish, eggs,
peanuts, tree nuts, fish, wheat and soy), it’s estimated that 1 in
133 people, or about 2 million Americans, have celiac disease, a
genetically linked condition. Plus, a growing number of people
are now being diagnosed as gluten intolerant or gluten sensitive.
They cannot safely ingest gluten, a protein that’s primarily found
in wheat (including matzo, couscous, etc.), rye and barley—and in
lots of other “hidden” places, including malt, soy sauce, flavorings,
seasonings, etc.
Ideally, all staff should be
knowledgeable of ingredient
content so that the server who
might be adding that final
sprinkle of cheese knows it
is a dairy product and does
not serve it to someone who
is lactose intolerant, Bonnie
Johnson, MS, RD, NPB
marketing manager points out.
“That communication from
the customer to the chef is the
most important, but just like in
a game of telephone, wires can
get crossed,” she says.
According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse,
when people with celiac disease eat foods or use products containing
gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the small
intestine. The good news is that following a gluten-free diet will
stop symptoms, heal existing intestinal damage and prevent further
damage in most cases.
At Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo., senior executive
chef of residential dining services Cynthia Lategan is proactive in
preventing allergic reactions for the approximately 5,600 resident
students, which adds up to 20,000 meals per day. The university
has two stations in two different dining halls that are gluten-free,
nut-free and shellfish-free. This year, Lategan and her team also
started baking gluten-free bread.
In an effort to short-circuit
those crossed wires, Sabrina’s
Law was passed in Ontario,
Canada, in May 2005, two
years after the death of
Sabrina Shannon, an eighth-
grade student, after she ate
french fries in her school
cafeteria that apparently
contained traces of cheese
[cross contact]. Sabrina was
aware she was allergic to dairy
products, and had diligently
avoided them. Sabrina’s
FAAN continues to top the
list of resources for any chef
seeking information in preparing
food that’s safe for those with
allergies. In September, FAAN
announced that award-winning
cookbook author Cybele Pascal
and her husband Adam Pascal
have teamed up with FAAN
by becoming Ambassadors
Who Care. Pascal has garnered
acclaim for her cookbooks,
The Whole Foods Allergy
Cookbook, 2nd edition, (Square
One, 2005)—which she was
prompted to write after her then
4-month-old son was diagnosed
with life-threatening allergies
to milk and soy—and, more
recently, The Allergen-Free
Baker’s Handbook (Celestial
Arts, an imprint of the Crown
Publishing Group, a division of
Random House Inc., 2009). This
second book, which includes
100 recipes, was recently named
to the Best of “The Martha
Stewart Show” Bookshelf.
“Culinary students preparing
an allergy-free meal will want
to appeal to as many folks as
possible,” Pascal says. “It’s also
important for people to realize
you have to deal with other
things [such as gluten], as well
as the top eight. Allergies are
so very ubiquitous, and it’s so
