Airline caterers have a unique and expanded role to play in securing the safety and comfort of passengers with food allergies. As inflight meal providers, their responsibilities extend beyond simply preparing meals; they must implement strict controls to minimise the risk of allergen exposure and cross-contamination. It's an important responsibility, but it's one that can be made easier with the right strategy and a solid plan. We've put together seven ways to get started.
Strict Raw Material Control
Caterers should establish stringent protocols for verifying the ingredients used in meal preparation. This process involves a meticulous examination of all ingredients used in meal preparation to ensure they meet the highest safety standards for passengers with food allergies and should include:
- Comprehensive Allergen Lists: Suppliers should provide detailed allergen information for all ingredients, including identifying any potential cross-contamination risks during production.
- Detailed Supplier Audits: Conduct thorough audits of suppliers to ensure they adhere to stringent allergen control standards. This includes verifying their processes for preventing cross-contamination.
- Ingredient Traceability: Implement robust traceability systems to track the origin of all ingredients. This helps identify and isolate potential allergen contamination quickly.
- Regular Updates: Ensure that allergen information is regularly updated and communicated to airline caterers, especially when ingredient sources or manufacturing processes change.
Listen Up: The Future of Digital Food Safety Management
Manufacturing Cross-Contamination Prevention
Producing meals for airline passengers can be a complex challenge, and the situation changes by the hour. Creating detailed production plans for meals and identifying potential crossover points will help you identify where cross-contact points can be and ensure you can label meals correctly.
Always plan production with the products containing the fewest or the same allergens at the start of production, and identify and manage the introduction of additional allergens as the day's production continues. Use separate facilities or production lines for allergen-free products where possible to prevent cross-contamination, and implement rigorous cleaning protocols between production runs to eliminate any residual allergens.
Clear Labelling, Thorough Documentation & Accessible Information
Ensure all meals and snacks provided on flights are clearly labelled with comprehensive allergen information — this is one of the most important steps airline caterers can take to safeguard passengers with food allergies. This involves creating detailed labels listing the ingredients and highlighting any potential allergens. The labels should be easy to read and understand, using universally recognised symbols or colour codes to indicate the presence of common allergens such as nuts, dairy, gluten, and shellfish.
Learn with Trustwell: Navigating the Allergen Labelling Maze
Maintain thorough documentation to track the sourcing and handling of all ingredients, including detailed records of ingredient origins, supplier certifications, and any measures taken to prevent cross-contamination during the preparation process. Meticulous record-keeping ensures that any potential allergen risks are identified and managed effectively.
Then, make sure this information is readily accessible to passengers through multiple channels. This should include printed menus available on board, digital menus accessible via the airline's website or mobile app, and even onboard announcements. By providing passengers with clear and comprehensive allergen information, airlines can empower them to make informed choices about their meals, significantly reducing the risk of accidental allergen exposure and enhancing their overall travel experience.
Customised Menu Options for Air Travellers
Menu customization is a critical component in catering to the diverse dietary needs of airline passengers, particularly those with food allergies. By offering a wide range of meal options that are specifically designed to be allergen-free, airlines can ensure that passengers with allergies have safe and enjoyable dining experiences during their flights. Airline caterers can approach this two ways:
- Allergen-Free Options: Offer a variety of meal options without common major food allergens like peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, eggs, wheat, soybeans, sesame, and shellfish.
- Special Requests: Allow passengers to pre-order meals that meet their specific allergen requirements by offering a detailed menu selection process prior to the flight. This process should enable passengers to specify any allergens they need to avoid.
Read More: Trustwell Partners with LSG Sky Chefs for FSMA 204 Compliance Pilot, Setting New Standards in Airline Catering Safety
Staff Training & Education in Allergen Safe Practices
Regularly train catering staff on allergen management to handle food preparation complexities for allergic passengers. Develop training protocol that covers a wide range of topics, including the identification of common allergens, understanding the risks associated with cross-contamination, and implementing best practices to prevent it. Staff should be trained to be meticulous about cleaning and sanitising equipment and workspaces, and know how to accurately label and package meals.
Listen Up: The Role of Leadership in Food Safety
Educating staff on the severity of food allergies is important to foster safety and responsibility. Many of the IMEs that make headlines are the result of a lack of understanding and consistent understanding among airlines, staff, and vendors. That's avoidable! Highlight exposure risks, train staff on handling allergen-free meals, and use case studies and expert insights to enhance understanding and encourage proactive measures.
Collaborative Allergen Policies Developed with Airlines
When it comes to making air travel safe, airlines and airline caterers must work together to develop stringent policies and practices that protect passengers who rely on them to stay safe.
Start with a thorough assessment of current practices so you can identify areas for improvement and fill in the gaps where disparities exist between your practices and procedures and the airlines'. Then, work together to create robust and consistent allergen management policies. Regularly revisit these policies and update them when necessary to reflect the most recent research, regulatory obligations, and best practices.
Airlines regularly collect passenger feedback, and so should airline caterers. Establish, develop, and share channels for receiving and responding to passenger feedback, such as:
- In-app customer surveys
- Direct communication with travellers
- Feedback forms or cards
- Email surveys
- Social media listening
By actively seeking and analysing passenger feedback, airlines and caterers can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of their allergen policies and identify any gaps or areas for improvement. Be sure to communicate openly about how this feedback will be used to improve allergen safety. This will help maximise participation and build trust with passengers.
Comprehensive Allergen Emergency Preparedness
No one wants a worst-case scenario, but planning for allergen emergencies anyway keeps air travel safe. After all, that's why seat backs can double as flotation devices and airplanes all have oxygen masks. Airline caterers can — and should — pay close attention to how they prepare for an allergen emergencies.
Emergency medical kits (EMKs) should be equipped to immediately treat severe allergic reactions. This means including epinephrine auto-injectors, or Epi-pens, which can be lifesaving in the event of anaphylactic shock, but should also include antihistamines, oxygen masks, and other medications for treating allergic reactions. Airline and airline catering staff alike should understand how this equipment is used and check that it's functioning properly and unexpired to make replacements when necessary.
It's also crucial that all staff is equipped with the necessary skills to be effective in a medical emergency due to allergens. Make sure they can:
- Identify an allergic reaction
- Differentiate between mild and severe symptoms
- Treat a range of reactions appropriately
- Administer emergency first aid
- Communicate with medical professionals on the ground
By implementing comprehensive allergen control measures, airline caterers can significantly reduce the risk of passenger exposure and ensure a safer and more comfortable travel experience for passengers with allergies. These strategies minimise the potential for accidental allergen contact while fostering a sense of security and trust among travellers who rely on these precautions for their well-being. The result is an inclusive and secure environment for all passengers, allowing them to enjoy their journey with peace of mind.
Partner with Trustwell for Air Travel Allergen Control
Making it easier to travel with food allergies is everyone's job, and airline caterers can lead the way. Trustwell has a decades-long legacy of providing software solutions designed especially for the food industry. Our expertise enables us to offer invaluable support in navigating the complexities of allergen management, ensuring compliance with existing regulations, and anticipating future requirements.
Whether you need menu labelling guidance or a complete supply chain solution, Trustwell can help with a comprehensive suite of educational resources, consulting services, and comprehensive food safety and supply chain technology. Contact us today to get started.
