The Food Standards Agency has published an interactive chef card to help those with food allergy or intolerance to notify restaurant staff when they are eating out.

The simple credit card-sized cards can be filled in and given to restaurant staff to help inform them which foods could cause a reaction and need to be avoided.

Each year in the UK around 10 people die from an allergic reaction to food and many more end up in hospital. In most cases, reactions are caused by something eaten in a restaurant or from a takeaway establishment. It is therefore very important for all caterers to be aware about food allergy and to take food allergy and intolerance seriously.

Consumer research carried out with teenagers and young adults by the FSA found that, for people with food allergies, eating out is a key area where there is not always appropriate information and help available.

Carried out as part of the FSA’s initiative to work with caterers and manufacturers to increase awareness of food allergies and to improve allergen information when buying food and eating out, the chef cards aim to be a simple and effective way to help people communicate clearly which foods they are allergic to.

For a copy of the chef cards please click here.