As a restaurant operator, it’s important for you and your staff to conduct your due diligence to protect the health and safety of your guests, especially when it comes to their food allergies. A food allergen matrix can help mitigate the risk of a guest coming in contact with a dish that contains an ingredient that they are allergic to, making it a useful tool in effective allergen management.
Download our free allergen matrix template to start protecting your guests today, or keep reading to learn more about how to use this essential tool.
What is a Food Allergy?
So what exactly is a food allergy? According to the FDA, food allergies occur when a person’s immune system reacts to specific proteins in a certain food. A food allergy can often cause various types of allergic reactions, which can range from mild to severe, depending on the person and their specific allergy. A food allergy can cause various reactions, including hives, lip swelling, or anaphylaxis.Â
As a restaurant operator, it’s important to keep the following major food allergens in mind when trying to protect guests against allergic reactions: milk, sesame, soybeans, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, crustacean shellfish, fish, and eggs.
What is a Food Allergy Matrix?
An allergen matrix chart helps those on your staff, especially food handlers, see which dishes contain each specific allergen. Having this food allergen matrix template on hand allows your front of house to effectively communicate with guests, especially when a food allergy is brought to their attention. A food allergen template is both customizable and easy to fill out, so all staff members have a single source of truth to refer to when dealing with guest food allergies.
How to Use Our Food Allergen Chart
Our allergen matrix is simple and easy to use, making it a breeze to customize your own allergen chart. Ready to get started? Here’s how to use and fill out our allergen matrix template:
- Each column of the food allergy template indicates a major food allergy, which you can customize to your liking depending on your restaurant’s menu design and offerings.
- The Menu Item column is where you and your staff can indicate the dishes on your menu.
- If a menu item contains a notable food allergen(s), check off the allergen box or boxes that apply.
It’s important to keep in mind that your food allergen chart will need to change as you change your restaurant’s menu design and offerings or when you switch food suppliers.
The Benefits of a Food Allergy Matrix
Now that you know what a food allergy matrix is and how to use one, let’s dive into the benefits of a food allergen matrix template:
- Keep food handlers and other staff members informed about the latest menu change and what food allergen(s) each dish has, if any.
- Protects the health and safety of guests who dine at your restaurant, especially those who experience severe allergic reactions or have several food allergies.
- If you choose to include the major food allergens as a part of your menu descriptions, it can instill confidence and transparency between your guests and your restaurant.
Download our free allergen matrix today, so you and your staff can begin tracking allergens based on your restaurant’s offerings, and keep your guests safe and informed. You’ll find detailed and easy-to-follow instructions along with the food allergy template, so you can start creating your very own allergen chart today!
