Consumer information about allergens in individual foods offered by communities (e.g., bars, restaurants, canteens, public establishments, street vendors) is a ‘lifesaver’ for about 2 million people in Italy. So many are estimated to be allergic consumers who, despite their personal precautions, continue to die unnecessarily from anaphylactic shock. 40 deaths each year, on average. (1) The risk is very serious, but almost all merchants continue to disregard the rules.
News absent, life-threatening
The duty to indicate allergens applies to all food, whether sold (packaged, pre-wrapped or bulk), distributed for free (e.g., Food Bank) or administered by communities. The information should be provided on the label of packaged and pre-wrapped products or on the sales sign next to products sold in bulk.
Brioche, sandwiches, sandwiches, more generally all products displayed at the counter of public establishments must bear graphic evidence suitable for distinguishing allergens from other ingredients. In the registers and/or menus of bars, restaurants, pizzerias, including pizzerias by the slice, and other establishments (including ‘food trucks‘), the allergens must then be referred to each individual dish offered, with precise reference to each of the 14 categories of substances subject to specific additional information. (2)
It is forbidden to refer to categories of allergens, rather than individual allergenic ingredients (e.g., the ‘nuts’ instead of ‘almonds’, ‘cereals containing gluten’ instead of ‘wheat’). Above all, the news should come referring to the food and not to the premises where it is made (e.g. ‘produced in a laboratory where there are…’, ‘in the kitchen are also used…’). (3)
The register of ingredients and allergens in each dish/product must be easily accessible and searchable by consumers at all times, either by displaying a printed publication or accessing an electronic device (a tablet, for example). Failure to indicate allergenic ingredients in individual products is punishable by a penalty of €3,000 to €24,000, ‘unless the act constitutes a crime.’ (4)
Digital menu
The digital menu is one among the solutions available to public merchants to fulfill the duties incumbent on them. A good opportunity first of all to remind ourselves of the existence of such duties whose inattention, as it turns out, can cost us dearly indeed. To the health of consumers and customers, the operating budget, and sometimes even the criminal record of its manager.
There are versatile, ‘smartphone in hand’ solutions, such as the one offered by foodmenu.co.uk, for example. Through which restaurateurs can create and update their digital menu, with an ‘allergen filter’ and multilingual information. Of particular use in a country like Italy where the flow of tourists to some destinations far exceeds the number of inhabitants. For example, in Rome, as seen, registered tourist arrivals in 2017 are 1500% of residents.
The smartphone can be the tool for accessing the digital menu. Simply scan a QR-code placed on the table or coffee table to access the list of dishes, complete with detailed allergen information. Perhaps even to place orders, in beach establishments, or to receive other services from Wi-Fi to other forms of entertainment. (5) The A versatile system, if updated carefully with each variation in the dishes offered.
#DetectiveFood, the ongoing investigation.
A widespread survey on the quality of allergen information, #DetectiveFood, was recently promoted by ‘Food Allergy Italia’ and GIFT(Great Italian Food Trade) and is still ongoing.
Menus and/or ingredient logs, sales signs and food labels must be photographed to participate. Specify the name and location of the venue where the photos were taken and forward the images by e-mail to detectivefooditalia@gmail.com.
Dario Dongo and Marta Strinati
Notes
(1) Data released in April 2017 at the XXX National Congress of the Italian Society of Allergology, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (Siaaic)
https://www.adnkronos.com/salute/2017/04/08/cibo-uccide-italia-morti-anno-per-choc-allergia_nCocgg3B0HKqqmaJ8k48PK.html?refresh_ce
(2) See reg. EU 1169/11, Article 21 and Annex II
(3) See in this regard the EC guidelines 13.7.17, at https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/allergeni-linee-guida/
(4) For more information see the free ebook ‘1169 penalties. EU Reg. 1169/11, food news, controls and penalties’, at https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/1169-pene-e-book-gratuito-su-delitti-e-sanzioni-nel-food/
(5) NB: To ensure that all consumers, including those without smartphones, are effectively informed, it is imperative to also maintain a printed logbook, or otherwise on ‘tablets’ readily available to patrons. See in this regard Circular 6.2.15 of the Ministry of Health. See http://www.foodagriculturerequirements.com/europa-alle rgeni-nei-pubblici-esercizi-il-memento-del-min-sal/
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
