Welcome to the Allergen Awareness dedicated page. The focus of this is to spread awareness on food allergens and how to manage them correctly to reduce the risks of food allergy incidents.
Below you will find all the information and materials to help you, your team and your customers to be allergen aware.
Training Material
Safety Conversations
There are 3 safety discussions for back of house, front of house and hospitality staff. They should not take more than 5-10 minutes each to deliver. Ensure to record these discussions on the Training Record Cards.
Allergen Awareness Video features Compass colleagues talking about their experiences with allergens and also messages from Nicky Martin, Head of Nutrition for UK & Ireland and Mark Armstrong, Technical Services Director. The video will remind your teams why following correct allergen procedures is so important.
Below you will find the Allergen Awareness Video and the links to download the following AAC materials:
Food Safety Conversation For Back of House Staff
Food Safety Conversation For Front of House Staff
Food Safety Conversation For Beverage Service
AAC Training Record Card
Chartwells Act On Allergen Training Cards
Act on Allergens - Week 1 - What is an Allergen
Act on Allergens - Week 2 - Allergen Information
Act on Allergens - Week 3 - Kitchen Process
Act on Allergens - Week 4 - Customer Journey
Act on Allergens - Week 5 - In the event of an incident
Act on Allergens - Week 6 - Summarising what we have learnt
Allergen Risk Assessment
As a responsible business we have a duty to assess the degree of allergens used within our catering units and reduce the likelihood of any cross contamination from the food we serve.
- Unit Manager / Head Chef must complete the risk assessment to determine what allergen risks are present within each catering site
- Use the documents to self-assess the implementation of control measures available to help minimise allergen risks
- Compass guidance is provided for each question to help understand what can be done to reduce allergen risks
- Note that not all the good practices highlighted may be achievable within a unit depending upon its size, layout and equipment
- Where additional actions are highlighted via the self-assessment further advice should be sought from your Regional HSE Manger
This risk assessment will then form part of the Compass Food Safety Management System and is to be completed by a Unit Manager as part of the annual HACCP review.
Once completed discuss the significant findings with the catering team and locate at the back of the Hazard Analysis section of the Food Safety Management System file located within the unit.
Colleague Posters
Display the new ‘Know Your Allergens’ poster for guidance and reference for your front and back of house staff. Ensure to make your team aware of this poster and the information that it contains.
Display one or more of the four ‘Slightest Trace’ awareness posters. These could be placed at the back of house areas to spread an awareness amongst your teams, i.e. at staff rooms, staff canteens, communication board etc. Or you can display one poster and replace with the new one on weekly basis.
Below you will find the links to download the following AAC materials:
Know Your Allergens Poster
Slightest Trace - Peanut Poster
Slightest Trace - Milk Poster
Slightest Trace - Prawn Poster
Slightest Trace - Eggs Poster
In addition to the above posters, the Food Safety team has also produced some extra Slightest Trace posters which some sites may find useful. Please use the links below to download the following:
Slightest Trace - Sesame Oil Poster
Slightest Trace - Sulphur Dioxide Poster
Slightest Trace - Fish Poster
Slightest Trace - Mustard Poster
New Cross-Contact Posters
The three new posters explain how colleagues can reduce the risk of allergen cross-contact in our catering operations. It is important that all colleagues are aware of the risks from allergen cross-contact and how their food handling practices can reduce these risks.
The 3 colleague posters are designed to cover 3 specific operational areas of a catering unit;
• Kitchen (BOH)
• Service Counter / Restaurant (FOH)
• Barista / Coffee offer
New Compass Allergen & Dietary Requirements Definitions Poster (New February 2024)
Please display the posters in a suitable place within your unit.
Allergen Folder
Ensure the information provided within the folder is updated and correct. Check the Source for any product/recipes changes. Allergen information must be kept whilst applicable and retained for 4 weeks before disposing of it (this could be saved as a paper version or as PDF on your system).
Download a PDF copy of the new Allergen Folder
Download Manual Allergen Log
See the new Allergen Information Folder below:
Customer Facing Material
Display a Customer Facing Poster in a visible place, i.e. by the counter, display fridges, condiment bar etc. Remember to complete the white box with the location of where your Allergen Information Folder can be found
Where applicable, a Table Talker can be used to display on customer tables. You could also use the table talker to display at the till point, condiment bar or any other areas designated for customers. Remember to complete the white box with the location of where your Allergen Information Folder can be found.
If you require more table talkers these could be ordered from Linney My Store.
Use the links below to download the following:
Customer Facing Poster - Blank
Customer Facing Poster - At Entrance
Customer Facing Poster - Beside The Cutlery Area
Table Talker - Blank
Allergen Champion on Duty Poster
See examples of Customer Facing Posters and Table Talkers below:
NEW Allergen Tablets Available
Replace the daily paper allergen report with a digital version displayed via a countertop tablet device which is now available from Compass.
The Allergen Tablet Contents
- 5 Samsung Tab (Wi-Fi + 4g)
- BouncePad desktop stand
- 2m power/security cable
- I.T. setup – software & SIM installation, testing, etc.
- Delivery costs
- In-unit setup assistance
- Support for 3 years
To Order:
Units wishing to acquire this package must verify the Capex costs with their RM and Finance Manager before proceeding. Email the delight team at delight@dbfb.co.uk to place your order, stating the unit number, unit name and address, contact name and the number of devices required. Copy in be.thesource@compass-group.co.uk to track the order progress and set up the Compass settings needed once order is confirmed.
Allergen Tablet Guide
Allergen Tablet Customer Guide Poster
Allergen Tablet with Compass Allergen App Guide Poster
Allergen Labelling
Front of House Labelling
Pre-Packaged for Direct Sale (PPDS) foods will require full allergen and ingredient labelling by 2021
Compass have decided to roll out allergen labelling from February to all sites who sell in-unit made pre-packed retail sale foods, with the aim of moving to full ingredient labelling by 2021.
PPDS foods are any in-unit made foods placed into packaging and offered for direct sale to the customer via a retail shop or grab & go format whereby there is limited opportunity to enquire about ingredient contents.
From February all Compass units must follow Source recipe’s when making items intended for direct sale to customers via a retail / grab & go format in order to enable accurate allergen labelling.
Units using Label Logic will need to discontinue this option and move across to the Source for all grab and go food labelling products sold
The Source will produce a label containing the following information
• Name of item
• Price
• Use by date
• Allergen information - Does Contain
• Allergen information - May Contain
• Nutritional information
This label must be applied to the front of the packaging to enable customers to clearly see and read the information contained.
More Details on Natasha's Law below.
Back of House Labelling
A new allergen sticker is available via Linney MyStore (UK Allergen Label CO19_LAB_STCK_018810) which should be used in addition to the Compass white food storage label to clearly identify any allergen containing ingredients when under the following circumstances:
• Where a food ingredient has been decanted from its original packaging
• In-unit made food which is to be covered and stored in a refrigerator or freezer for use at a later date.
Allergen Reporting & Labelling Update
A guide to help you understand the implications of the new Compass allergen reporting and food labelling processes.
Natasha's Law
The UK Food Information Amendment, also known as Natasha’s Law, comes into effect from October 2021 and will require food businesses to provide full ingredient lists and allergen labelling on foods prepackaged for direct sale on the premises. The legislation is being introduced to protect allergy sufferers and give them confidence in the food they buy. This page is dedicated to all the information available to Compass units.
Natasha's Law Label Printing Video
Creating Emergency Recipes Video
Posters
Further Information
Further information on allergens can be obtained from the Compass Food Safety Management System, Good Hygiene Practice Guide No 13 & 21, which is available via the HSE website or can be ordered from Linney MyStore.
Alternatively, any specific allergen concerns should be raised with your sector HSE Manager.