California Food Allergy Training

Researchers estimate that up to 15 million Americans have food allergies, including 5.9 million children under age 18 - that’s 1 in 13 children. Moreover, about 30% of children with food allergies are allergic to more than one food. Source: Food Allergy Research & Education

The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) identifies 8 foods or food groups as the major food allergens. They are milk, eggs, fish (e.g., bass, flounder, cod), crustacean shellfish (e.g., crab, lobster, shrimp), tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans), peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. They account for 90% of all allergic reactions.

Course Description

The Food Allergy Training Course is designed to educate all restaurant and food service workers – from the server and hostess in the front of the house, to the manager and executive chef, to the line cook in the back of the house – about the severity of food allergies and the precautions that must be taken.

The training course will cover what is a food allergy, the different types of food allergens, how to identify symptoms of a food allergic reaction and what to do if a food allergic reaction occurs in a restaurant food service environment.

The course will also cover the best practices for restaurant employees to serve a food allergic customer including: the role of management, how to properly prepare an allergen safe meal for a food allergic customer, the front of the house and back of the house responsibilities.

Audience:  Owners, managers, supervisors, food servers, chefs, cooks, mobile food vendors, bartenders, host/hostesses that handle food, bussers, caterers, and wait staff.

Credit Hours: 1 hr

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, student will be able to:

• Define a food allergy, including the top 8 food allergens and sources of each.
• Recognize the difference between a food allergy and food intolerance.
• Identify symptoms of a food allergic reaction.
• Describe the protocol for notifying emergency response if a food allergic reaction occurs.
• Discuss best practices for serving a food allergic customer, including the role of management, front of the house and back of the house employees.
• Describe how to properly prepare an allergen safe meal for a food allergic customer.
• Analyze a case study on how to properly serve a food allergic guest.

Course Topics:

Lesson 1: Overview of Food Allergens
Lesson 2: Allergy vs. Food Intolerance
Lesson 3: The Top 8 Allergens
Lesson 4: Importance of Allergen Control Plans in Commercial Food Service
Lesson 5: Recognizing Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction
Lesson 6: Facility Management: Handling Food Safely for Allergen Guests
Lesson 7: Communicating in a Restaurant: Management, FOH, BOH, and Service Staff
Lesson 8: Allergic Scenario: Customer Interaction

End of Course Test – Print Your Training Certificate
As soon as you complete the Food Allergy Training Course – you will then be required to take the End of Course Test.

With a minimum passing score of 70% on the test,  you will be able to download and print your certificate of completion.

Individuals who do not pass the test on the first attempt will be allowed one additional attempt to review the course content and pass the test.