Allergen management in food production

摘要

Allergen management through cleaning in the food, dairy, beverage and brewing industries is an essential control to reduce the risks to vulnerable consumers through the unintended cross-contact of allergenic proteins into other products. An allergen is a substance that can cause an allergic reaction. In some people, the immune system recognises allergens as foreign or dangerous. As a result, the immune system reacts by making a type of antibody called IgE to defend against the allergen. This reaction leads to allergy symptoms and can in some cases be deadly. Common allergens relevant to food and beverage include egg, peanut, milk, nuts, soy, wheat, animal meat and fish. To ensure against cross-contamination, those operatives undertaking cleaning activities following production of an allergen containing product, must be aware of the vital role they play in preventing the cross-contact of allergenic proteins into subsequent batches or items. There are three main steps in tackling allergens, Christeyns Food Hygiene refers to this as the Allergen Defence Service: 1. Design of procedures - processes to follow that fit your business 2. Control - implementing adequate cleaning procedures to prevent risk 3. Verification - validating the results of the cleaning and its effectiveness The Allergen Defence service should provide the necessary tools for the rapid and effective detection of allergens that may cause allergy problems for consumers, identifying the causes of food contamination by allergens and implementing preventative measures to minimise future risks.