Restaurant staff misinformed about allergies

BRIGHTON, England, April 15 (UPI) -- Restaurant workers in Britain may indicate confidence in providing a safe meal for food-allergic customers but they are often misinformed, researchers say.

Professor Helen Smith of Brighton & Sussex Medical School in England said food allergies that can cause a variety of symptoms -- the most serious, anaphylaxis, can cause death -- are common, affecting 2 percent of adults and as much as 8 percent of children in England.

The study, published in the journal Clinical & Experimental Allergy, found that one out of three kitchens did not separate common food allergens such as eggs, peanuts, wheat, milk, nuts or fish from other foods.

One in five staff said an allergic customer consuming a small amount of allergen would be safe, and removing the allergen from a finished meal, such as picking nuts off a pre-prepared desert, would make it safe for a customer allergic to nuts.

One-third of restaurant staff said they had received any food allergy training, but 80 percent said they were confident they could provide a safe meal for their food-allergic customers.

"Diners who are food allergic must remain vigilant and not assume restaurants are safe or that all staff are knowledgeable about food allergy," Smith said in a statement. "Our survey supports the need for more rigorous and accessible training if food-allergic customers are to avoid being put at risk by dining out."