Every meal, snack and piece of fruit you hand out has to be safe for the child who eats it. This allergen awareness course for childcare staff explains the difference between a food allergy, a food intolerance and coeliac disease, takes you through the 14 allergens that must be identified in food, and shows how an allergic reaction can appear in the body, from a runny nose to anaphylactic shock.
It is written for the people who serve food in a setting: the cook, the practitioner setting out lunch and the adult handing round the morning fruit. It ends with one rule every member of the team can remember. If you are not certain what is in a product, say so and check.
Why allergen awareness matters in childcare
A true food allergy makes the immune system react, and that reaction can affect several organs in the body. It can be severe or life-threatening, and it can begin with the first mouthful. Food intolerance is much more common and usually less serious, which is exactly why the rarer, more dangerous condition can be missed. Swelling of the tongue or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing is an emergency, not a case of wait and see.
The law matters too. The Food Information for Consumers Regulation, which came into force in December 2014, sets rules on allergen information for both pre-packed and loose food. If a parent or carer needs their child to avoid an ingredient because of an allergy, you must be able to tell them which allergens are in the food you serve, accurately, for every ingredient in every meal and snack. The duty is about information. You give the facts, and the decision about what the child eats is theirs.
What’s in the course
- Allergen lawThe Food Information for Consumers Regulation and what it means for pre-packed and loose food.
- Food allergy and food intoleranceHow each one works, how serious it can be, and the symptoms linked to intolerance.
- Coeliac disease and lactose intoleranceWhy coeliac disease is neither an allergy nor an intolerance, and why gluten still belongs in your allergen thinking.
- How allergic reactions show in the bodySigns in the nose, eyes, throat, skin, gut, lips, tongue and chest, and why fainting can happen.
- Anaphylactic shockThe signs to look out for, and why anything affecting breathing, the throat or the tongue needs action straight away.
- The 14 allergensEach allergen in turn, with the everyday foods and ingredients where it is often found.
- Giving accurate allergen informationInformation for every ingredient in every meal and snack, and what to do when you are not sure.
- AssessmentMultiple-choice questions. Pass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
What you’ll learn
- How a food allergy differs from a food intolerance and from coeliac disease, and why the difference matters at the table
- The 14 listed allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, peanuts, nuts, sesame seeds, soya, celery, mustard, lupin, sulphur dioxide and gluten
- Where allergens are often found, such as milk glazes on pastries and pies, egg in mayonnaise and pasta, fish in Worcestershire sauce and sulphur dioxide in dried fruit
- Other names allergens can appear under on labels, such as albumin or dried egg for egg
- That gluten covers wheat, rye, barley and oats, and turns up in batter, pastry, sauces, soups and foods dusted with flour
- The signs of an allergic reaction, including rashes, sore or itchy eyes, a swollen lip or tongue, wheezing and fainting
- The signs of anaphylactic shock: puffy eyes, blotchy skin, difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat and tongue, anxiety and signs of shock
- Your duty to give accurate allergen information, and why you never guess on a parent’s behalf
Who this course is for
- Nursery cooks and kitchen staff who plan, prepare and serve meals
- Practitioners who serve lunch and snacks or hand out fruit and drinks
- Managers and room leaders responsible for menus and children’s dietary records
- New starters, apprentices and cover staff who help at mealtimes
How it works
- OnlineStudy on any device and pick up where you left off.
- Interactive moduleShort slides and knowledge checks you work through at your own pace.
- Multiple-choice assessmentPass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
- CertificateIssued when you pass. NFAQ accredited.
Training your team
The duty to give allergen information applies to everyone who serves food, from the kitchen to the practitioner handing out fruit, so this course works best when the whole team takes it. Choose the number of learners at checkout, with group rates from 3 learners, or get it as part of the Training Portal for £5 per learner per month. Related courses: Anaphylaxis and Food Hygiene (Level 2).
Frequently asked questions
What are the 14 allergens?
Milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, peanuts, nuts, sesame seeds, soya, celery, mustard, lupin, sulphur dioxide and gluten. They must be identified if they are ingredients in pre-packed or loose food, and the course covers where each one is often found.
Is a food intolerance the same as an allergy?
No. An allergy is an immune system reaction that can be severe or life-threatening. An intolerance is the body being unable to digest certain foods, such as lactose, and is usually less serious. Coeliac disease is different again: an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten.
Does the allergen information duty apply to nursery staff?
Yes. The course explains that it applies to anyone who serves food, whether the food arrived pre-packed or loose. In a nursery that means kitchen staff and the practitioner handing out morning fruit alike.
What should staff do if they are not sure what is in a product?
Say so and check. Never guess on behalf of a parent. The information you give must be accurate, because the parent or carer relies on it to decide what their child eats.
What happens if I don’t pass the assessment?
You can resit it as many times as you need until you pass. Your certificate is issued as soon as you reach the 80% pass mark.
Does the course cover anaphylaxis?
It covers the signs of anaphylactic shock and why anything affecting breathing, the throat or the tongue is an emergency.
