Highfield.co.uk has joined forces with The Anaphylaxis Campaign, the charity that supports people with life-threatening food allergies, to promote a Standard that specifically aims to promote good allergen management and labelling.

Food companies face a growing challenge to minimize or eliminate allergen cross-contamination whilst providing accurate information to allergic consumers. Many people with allergies have become increasingly frustrated with unclear labelling of foods which “may contain” an allergen. The Anaphylaxis Campaign Standard to Increase Trust in Information about Allergens in Food seeks to help food companies to meet those challenges.

What the Standard promotes:

• High-quality management of allergens leading to reduced risk, while demonstrating due diligence
  
• Accurate communication of risk to consumers
  
• Increased consumer confidence.
  

• Allergen labelling as legally required, taking into account all allergens on the EU approved list
• Allergy advice boxes
• “May contain” advisory labelling.

To purchase the Standard:

Highfield.co.uk – the UK’s leading provider of food safety training materials and training - will be managing the sale and marketing of the Standard. The special introductory offer below includes separate Guidance to be read in conjunction with the Standard.

£65.00 (+p&p) for one copy
£100.00 (+p&p) for 2 copies
£200.00 (+p&p) for 5 copies
£300.00 (+p&p) for 10 copies

Training, Certification and the Standard Logo

Highfield will also take on the crucial role of training those people who are required to carry out audits against the Standard, as well as the staff of food companies that participate in the scheme. The Standard will carry with it the opportunity for certification. Highfield will deliver training both to food company staff and the certification bodies that carry out audits against the Standard.

Any company that achieves certification will be able to use a logo on the packaging of a food product that has been certified.

Please follow this link for further information regarding:

Further information

The Campaign developed the Standard courtesy of a grant from the Food Standards Agency in 2006, launching a rigorous consultation exercise in the autumn of that year. Pilot audits were held and the Standard was revised in line with the findings and comments from the consultation.

Studies have shown that one child in every 70 across the UK is allergic to peanuts, while many people are similarly affected by other food allergens, notably tree nuts, sesame, fish, shellfish, milk and eggs. The Anaphylaxis Campaign has almost 8,000 members with food allergy and provides them with support and information.

David Reading, director of the Campaign, said: “Food allergy can be life-threatening for some and people are understandably anxious, especially when a child is affected. We are convinced that this programme of allergen control will improve life considerably, not only for allergic consumers but also for the food industry, which is keen to minimize the risks and liability and provide information on the label that people can trust.”

For more details on the Standard, visit: www.anaphylaxis.org.uk