FDBusiness.com

Unilever Food Solutions has launched a new service to support the food service industry in complying with upcoming food allergy information regulations. The Allergen and Diets Guide for Professional Catering is a free-to-download interactive iBook that provides a comprehensive guide to the new legislation and what it means for operators and their guests. It also provides a thorough overview of the 14 need-to-know food allergens.

The legislation change comes as a result of a new regulation adopted by the European Parliament and Council in October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. This regulation comes into effect on December 13th 2014 when it will become the responsibility of the food service industry to provide information on any of the 14 food allergens.

The new rules will require that all food allergens be highlighted by name in the list of ingredients as well as on foods that are sold loose or eaten out of home. These include meals served in restaurants and canteens, food sold in retail outlets, food packed on the sales premises or, at the consumer’s request, in takeaways, deli counters, supermarkets, butchers and food stalls.

It is likely that the new legislation will present challenges to the food service industry and, as such, Unilever Food Solutions has developed a number of free tools – including the Allergen and Diets Guide for Professional Catering – to support chefs and operators in meeting the necessary legislation requirements. There is a short 20-question quiz for operators to test their knowledge of food allergens, as well as food legislation training material to help venues become 100 per cent allergen compliant.

Finally, Unilever Food Solutions also has a complete list of gluten-free savory products available on their website – www.ufs.com/allergens.

Jim Reeves, customer director at Unilever Food Solutions, says: “The new legislation regarding food labelling and allergens is sure to present the foodservice industry with genuine challenges. While it has yet to be determined how allergen information will eventually be presented to consumers, what is certain is that guests will have to be made aware of what allergens are present in the food they are consuming, whether loose or eaten out of home.“

“Recognising the potential challenges, we created the Allergen and Diets Guide for Professional Catering to support the foodservice industry in meeting the necessary legislation requirements. We would encourage chefs and operators to download the PDF for free today – we are confident that it will be an integral tool for menu planning and a vital resource for the food service industry going forward.”

Unilever Food Solutions is one of the world’s leading food service businesses. With 6,500 employees operating across 65 countries worldwide, Unilever Food Solutions is a truly global company owning instantly recognisable and market-leading brands that add value to every kitchen. Our brands include Knorr, Hellmann’s, Colmans and Lyons Tea among others.