Allergies and avoiding cross contamination
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Allergies and avoiding cross contamination
Cooking for family is a daily task that is fun and can bring the family together. But when
you are cooking for someone with food allergies, it becomes a little trickier. This is the
same for eating out when you have an allergy. Knowing how to manage cross
contamination risk and taking the necessary precautions is essential for your health.
Cross contamination is the name given when one food comes into contact with another
food, resulting in their proteins (what your body reacts to in an allergic reaction) mixing.
For example, using a barbeque to first fry eggs, before moving on to cook bacon and only
wiping down the barbeque with a wet cloth in between. This type of cleaning is not good
enough to completely remove all trace amounts of egg left on the barbeque, which means
that trace amounts of egg may get onto the bacon. If a person who is allergic to eggs then
eats this bacon, they will have the same allergic reaction as if they had eaten the egg.
Possible sources of cross contamination with foods
During food processing:
• Shared manufacturing and packaging lines
• When food is transported
• When food is stored
During point of purchase:
• Food sold in bulk cases where shared utensils are used to hand out (e.g. bay-
maries)
• Deli foods
During food preparation:
• Shared use of any equipment/machinery without proper cleaning (e.g. knvies,
blenders, cutting boards, frying pans, barbeques, deep fryers etc)
• Food service (kitchen/waiter) staff not changing gloves when preparing an allergen-
free meal
Due to where foods are placed:
• When different foods are stored near each other there is a higher risk of cross
contamination/mixing (e.g. buffets, juice bars, pick’n’mix shops).
At home
For most people living in a home with an allergic person, it is often easiest to completely
remove the allergen from the house to avoid any accidental eating (especially in children)
or cross contamination. This may not always be possible, so it is important to make sure
This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp Developed: February 2017
Due for review: February 2019everyone in the house knows how to General steps for managing cross
avoid cross contamination. This includes contamination at home
proper cleaning, storage and cooking. • Make sure everyone in the household
knows how to
Proper cleaning read food labels
Proper cleaning is an important part of correctly. This
avoiding cross contamination. Even a tiny helps with
amount of the food on a spoon or spatula identifying which
that is invisible to us can cause an foods contain
allergic reaction for some people. allergens
• Make sure everyone in the house • Cook allergen-free meals first where
washes their hands before and after possible
eating with soap and warm running • Use separate areas in the kitchen to
water. Washing hands with just water make allergen-containing and
and/or hand sanitiser is not enough to allergen-free meals
remove all tiny amounts of allergens • Use separate utensils/appliances,
from your hands. especially when the risk of cross
• Use utensils and pans that have been contamination is high (e.g. toasters for
thoroughly washed with dishwashing people with wheat allergies)
soap and hot water when preparing • Store allergen-containing foods away
allergen-free meals. from allergen-free foods (separate
• Make sure all counter-tops have been shelves, separate cupboards). When
cleaned with common household storing allergen foods in the fridge, be
cleaning products or watered-down sure to store them
bleach. Cleaning counter tops with below and away from
just water or with dishwashing liquid allergen-free foods to
may not be enough to remove all avoid accidental
small amounts of the allergen. touching or dripping.
• The smell from food cannot cause an
allergic reaction, but when cooking,
some food specs may go into the air
for a short time (e.g. beating a cake
This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp Developed: February 2017
Due for review: February 2019mix which has flour). This can cause • Advanced preparation and
someone to breathe in the allergen, or communication is necessary when
the allergen may settle onto other eating out, at a friend’s house or
foods or surfaces, which could later be travelling etc. It is important to call the
eaten. Because of this, it may be best restaurant or café and speak to the
for people with allergies to avoid the manager before arriving to check that
kitchen during cooking times. they can provide you with safe food,
• Always cover pots/pans with lids even if you have eaten there before.
where possible to avoid cross This is important because recipes,
contamination from splatter ways of cooking or staff can change.
• For commonly shared condiments, it • Be assertive – don’t be afraid to ask
is recommended to buy separate ones all the necessary questions about their
for allergic people. An example of this menu items or their allergy
is having separate jam jars because management processes. Some
the risk of accidentally transferring questions include:
breadcrumbs or butter to the jam is o Do you have an allergy
quite high. This may be management process in place?
especially important if you o Do you use a separate area to
have young children who prepare the allergen-free meals?
might not remember the o Do you use shared grills and
importance of allergen fryers when making regular meals
avoidance. and allergen-free meals?
o Who will be preparing and plating
Dining out the meals? How will the meals be
Eating out is fun and can be a big part of brought out (e.g. balanced with
our lives. With careful planning, you can several other plates, or
eat out with friends and family regularly. separately)?
• As you arrive, tell the wait staff and
The following tips can help you to best manager again about your allergy.
manage your allergy and enjoy eating Some people may not understand the
out. importance of 100% avoidance and
may need your help to understand
This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp Developed: February 2017
Due for review: February 2019this. Check what the restaurant’s that all precautions are taken to avoid
guidelines are for cooking allergen- cross contamination, however there is
free meals (they should have no fail-safe way to completely stop an
guidelines that they follow). allergen from accidentally coming into
• Do not use restaurants or facilities the kitchen, especially when the
which use shared serving areas with a allergen food may be used for other
high risk of accidental mixing and meals. This is why it is essential for
cross contamination. This includes you to have your Epi-pen with you at
buffets, salad bars and delis. all times.
• Some people may require an Epi-pen
(a needle of adrenaline) to treat High risk foods and places to avoid if
severe reactions to food allergies (e.g. you have an allergy
throat swelling or ‘anaphylaxis’). Your • For fish/shellfish allergies – avoid
doctor will be able to tell you if you seafood restaurants due to risk of
need this. If you do not have your cross contamination. ‘Surimi’ is a
prescribed Epi-pen with you, do not name used for minced fish, which may
eat! It is far better to be safe than to also contain eggs.
risk accidentally eating your allergen • Fried foods – shared cooking oil may
and not have your Epi-pen available be used to cook different foods,
for the emergency. including fish, seafood, egg and
• Choosing simple foods (e.g. meat with wheat. Crumbed and battered foods
vegetables and no sauce) can often may use dairy and eggs; this can also
be easier to help with avoiding transfer to the oil during frying.
allergens • For egg and milk allergies – often
• Do not share knives, forks or glasses crumbed and battered foods will use
with other people at your table. egg and dairy. Creamy sauces,
• Do not try other people’s meals even if hamburger and meatballs may also
you think it is safe. Restaurants may contain these ingredients.
be able to say they are allergen-safe, • For tree nut and peanut allergies –
but are unlikely to be able to these foods are often used in Asian
guarantee their meals are 100% style and vegetarian foods; it may be
allergen-free. Allergen-safe means easiest to avoid these meals when
This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp Developed: February 2017
Due for review: February 2019dining out. Salad dressings and 2. Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia
garnishes, hamburgers, meatballs and (A&AA): is an Australian organisation
desserts (including pastries) may also that aims to improve awareness of
contain tree nuts and/or peanuts. allergies through education and
• For sesame allergies – Middle Eastern research. They assist with managing
dishes and baked goods often use allergies for individuals, families,
sesame as an ingredient. schools, workplaces, the government
and food industries in Australia. Check
Where can I go for further out their website
information? (www.allergyfacts.org.au) for further
1. ASCIA (The Australasian Society of information and to become a member
Clinical Immunology and Allergy): is of A&AA.
the peak professional body of allergy
and clinical immunology specialists in 3. FSANZ (Food Standards Australia
Australia and New Zealand. They and New Zealand): is a bi-national
have lots of resources available on government agency who develop
their website to help with living with an codes and standards for foods,
allergy. See their website including labelling, food safety and
(www.allergy.org.au/) for further additives - www.foodstandards.gov.au
details.
For further information contact your Dietitian or Nutritionist:_____________________
This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp Developed: February 2017
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