A new look food allergen portal, the result of a collaboration between industry, consumer and government stakeholders, is providing best practice resources on managing allergens in food.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand CEO, Mark Booth, said the portal, which was launched in early-August, made it easier to navigate and access links to food allergy related resources and information.
“The portal has information for food manufacturers and retailers; the food service sector; childcare centres and schools; government organisations; health professionals and consumers,” said Booth
For people who have a food allergy the best way to manage the allergy is to avoid the food allergen.
READ: Food allergies are no laughing matter
For this reason, there are laws in place, for example mandatory labelling to help people who have a food allergy avoid food allergens.
“Food allergies can be a matter of life and death so it is vital that each sector can easily find the best available information to help those living with food allergy. All sectors of the community need to be aware of their responsibilities and how they can help people who have a food allergy,” he said.
“This portal is an excellent example of what can happen when all stakeholders collaborate to achieve a single purpose,” said Booth.
Many sectors in the community also have a role in assisting in managing food allergies including the food industry, health professionals, and schools.
This food allergen portal was created by the Allergen Collaboration to provide different sectors in the community with links to best practice food allergen resources and key messages to promote in the different sectors.
The portal is available from the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website.