With instances of food allergies on the increase, it is about time that caterers endorse EU regulations demanding that ingredients are not just listed on packaged food but also on restaurant and takeaway dishes, according to a local expert.

It is estimated that at least two out of 100 adults, and about eight per cent of children, suffer from one or more food allergies, and these figures are on the rise.

While these percentages might seem low, the risk increases in Malta with the onset of summer, considering the influx of two million tourists every year.

University of Malta senior lecturer Lino Schembri. Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina

The onus of avoiding serving a dish that could trigger a life-threatening allergic reaction lies with the caterer, explained Lino Schembri, who has just completed a doctorate in food safety management systems.

Only last year, a restaurant owner in the UK was jailed for six years after swapping almond powder in recipes for a cheaper groundnut mix that contained peanuts, without warning his clients. One such customer, aged 38, died of anaphylactic shock.

For years, EU regulations have stipulated that the person who prepares the food has to shoulder responsibility. Recent updates, meanwhile, oblige the caterer to be conscious of all the ingredients and to provide this information to the consumer.

The EU’s 2014 Food Information Regulations, which enable local authorities to enforce the 2011 European Food Information to Consumers Regulation, leave it up to Member States to find their own way of doing this.

As part of his doctorate, Dr Schembri came up with a time- and cost-effective system for small shops that serve food across the counter, such as cafeterias and pastizzerias.

The caterer inputs the ingredient list, which is provided by the food supplier, into a database system designed by Dr Schembri. The system then produces a barcode that can be included in the menu and which customers can scan with their smartphone to get the complete list of ingredients.

Although the vast majority of people have a smartphone, the ingredient list can also be printed in full in the shape of a booklet and provided to those clients with food allergies.

“We need to implement the 2014 Food Information Regulations before new regulations are announced, as these are all building blocks. In Malta, these regulations have not yet been implemented, because wherever you go, the probability is that the allergen ingredient list is not available.

“It doesn’t matter which system is used, what matters is that the customer understands it. People with food allergies lead an anxious life, especially when they eat outdoors. Parents with allergic children are always scared that their children might die,” Dr Schembri said.

Dr Schembri is also calling for the enforcement of proper risk analysis – that is, assessment, management and communication. Food service businesses do have to carry out a risk analysis, but several do not do so properly. Instead, they just produce a disclaimer listing the ingredients used in their kitchen.

The regulations stipulate that internationally accepted tools must be used and a series of hazards listed, such as not ensuring enough distance between two particular products.

The problem is that while the law obliges caterers to carry out this assessment, it does not stipulate who can carry it out, Dr Schembri noted.