The growing pressures on caterers to address CO2 equivalent emissions and calorific values reflect an increasing focus on sustainability and health. These concerns, while critical, can create challenges for allergen management.

Here is how these pressures are intersecting and potentially affecting allergen management:

  • Efforts to calculate and display CO2 emissions and calorific values require investment in data collection, technology, and training. This focus might divert attention and resources from other compliance areas, such as allergen management. Businesses must ensure that sustainability initiatives do not lead to reduced vigilance in allergen protocols.
  • Sustainability and calorie tracking necessitate detailed supply chain insights, which can overlap with allergen management requirements. While this overlap can lead to better ingredient traceability, it also increases complexity. Mistakes or miscommunications about allergens can occur more easily when balancing multiple data points.
  • Adopting low-carbon or plant-based menus to reduce emissions often involves introducing alternative ingredients like nuts, seeds, or legumes, which are common allergens. This shift necessitates rigorous allergen tracking and clear communication to prevent increased risk to individuals with food allergies. Businesses increasing plant-based meals and drinks need to make menu descriptions clear.
  • As consumers demand greater transparency regarding a meal’s environmental impact and nutritional value, there is an opportunity to integrate allergen information more prominently. However, failing to do so could lead to public backlash, as consumers increasingly expect comprehensive data about their food.
  • With the push to meet sustainability and calorie transparency goals, staff training must expand to cover these areas. This can dilute focus on allergen management if training programs are not carefully balanced. Staff may inadvertently deprioritize allergen protocols when under pressure to meet sustainability metrics. As we all strive to attain a NET ZERO business model the safety of our customers must remain at the top our priorities.
  • In schools and public sector settings, the dual focus on healthy, sustainable meals and allergen safety is critical. These environments often serve vulnerable populations, including children with severe allergies. Any lapse in allergen management due to competing priorities could have significant consequences.

There may be opportunities for synergies and businesses with advanced software and IT systems that are adaptable could incorporate:

  • Unified Data Systems: Integrating CO2 emissions, calorie content, and allergen information into unified tracking and labelling systems can streamline compliance and ensure no area is neglected.
  • Consumer Education: Transparent communication about allergens alongside sustainability metrics can help consumers make informed choices and build trust.
  • Regulatory Support: Clear and consistent government guidelines that emphasize the equal importance of sustainability, nutrition, and allergen management can help align industry practices.

There is generally a bias towards allergen management (well from Allergen Accreditation at least) and typically it should be high on the quality management agenda. When speaking to catering businesses they do report the inconsistencies with calorie counting and complete astonishment when they start thinking about how to calculate the CO2 equivalent emissions of each plate of food they sell!

Yet more demands on caterers and for now we are focussing on food hypersensitivity and the safe management of allergens.

JULIAN EDWARDS, CEO, ALLERGEN ACCREDITATION