Dutch people with allergies must be careful what they order in restaurants. More than half of restaurants do not adequately inform customers about allergens their food contains. Allergen information cannot always be found on menus, and information about allergies is not always properly recorded, according to research by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
Allergens are proteins in food that can trigger allergic reactions, such as egg, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, mustard and milk. Restaurants are obliged to communicate this to their customers, but in almost 52 percent of cases this does not happen.
Also in other places where sandwiches, ice creams, or other non-prepackaged and unlabeled foodstuffs are sold, customers do not receive enough information about possible allergy-inducing substances. “About half a million Dutch people have a food allergy. They can become seriously ill and in the worst case even die from eating gluten, nuts or shellfish, for example. Even if it is only a very small quantity,” the NVWA said.
Catering companies, but also supermarkets that want their customers to taste something, are obliged to provide information about allergens, for example when it comes to gluten or eggs in products. This may be done both in writing and orally. There are various requirements attached to this, for example, the information must always be given directly to the consumer before the purchase takes place. It must also be available electronically.
Wrong in several ways
Things go wrong in the companies studied in various ways. In more than 30 percent, the company did not provide any information about allergens. In approximately 16 percent, staff only provided information verbally, but this was not recorded anywhere in writing. A further 12 percent lacked clear notice, requiring customers to contact staff to obtain information.
Erna Botjes, chairman of the Food Allergy patient organization, is not surprised about the new figures. “People with allergies have to be realistic: they cannot go everywhere.” She points, for example, to cafes in student cities where there is a lot of turnover among staff. “You can’t expect everyone to be aware of everything.”
According to Botjes, things often go well at large chains such as McDonalds. “It’s even there on the placemats. But you shouldn’t go to a cafe with constantly changing chefs.”
Although she believes that people with allergies should be ‘realistic’, she is also critical: “Many restaurants should be ashamed. You should also have somewhere to eat if you are on a diet. You can organize your business accordingly, but you have to train it. The legislation and regulations must also be better known.”
People with allergies must be realistic: they cannot go everywhere
According to Botjes, it is often quite a hassle for many people with allergies to find a safe place to eat out. “You have to contact us in advance, read the menu and ask if there are alternatives for ingredients. There are plenty of restaurants where you can make appointments, but it is not possible to drop in somewhere on a busy Friday evening.”
According to Botjes, it only happens occasionally that people really get into trouble because of their allergies. “Many people have adrenaline injections or other medication. Our largest risk group are teenagers who go out and drink and do not have their medication with them.”
The NVWA states that the rules are not intended to ‘bully entrepreneurs’, according to a spokesperson. “We want everyone to be able to enjoy the catering industry without any worries, and not have people get sick. Entrepreneurs must work on this.”
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