Commercial kitchens are required to follow ServSafe™ policies and procedures. This is a certification that is required for all commercial kitchens, however, not all employees are required to have this certification. The chef, owners and managers are usually ServSafe™ certified, servers and kitchen assistants generally are not. ServSafe™ is mainly concerned with the storage and preparation of food so that pathogens are not transferred to the food that is being served.

ServSafe™ does give guidance for avoiding cross contamination for people with the “Big 8” food allergens: Milk, Eggs, Fish, Soy, Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Shellfish and Wheat.

Below are their guidelines:

• Check recipes and ingredient labels. Make sure the allergen is not present.
• Wash, rinse, and sanitize cookware, utensils, and equipment before prepping the food. This includes food-prep surfaces. Some operations use a separate set of utensils just for allergen special orders.
• Make sure the allergen does not touch anything for these customers, including food, beverages, utensils, equipment, and gloves.
• Wash your hands and change gloves before prepping their food.
• Use equipment assigned for prepping the allergen special order. Use separate fryers and cooking oils when frying food for customers with food allergies.

They also recommend these procedures be followed for all food allergens and sensitivities even those not covered by the “Big 8”.  Many of us are challenged by foods that aren’t recognized in the “Big 8” and appreciate ServSafe™ ’s efforts to be inclusive and give across the board instructions to minimize cross contamination.

In a perfect world, this would be enough, and we could all eat out without worry of a reaction or cross contamination.  The reality is that many restaurant kitchens are short staffed and lack consistent training for their employees in addition to considering a possible language barrier. Often restaurant kitchens are staffed with people from other countries. This is where it is critical to carry a food allergy card in English as well as a language like Spanish. If the server cannot appropriately communicate to the kitchen staff, there’s a chance your food allergy card can. See blog on food allergy cards for more tips.

Following these ServSafe™ guidelines when cooking for someone with food allergies will help you be conscious of cross contamination.  When prepping ingredients, sanitize knives and cutting boards with an oil disintegrating dish detergent between each ingredient to prevent cross contamination or use separate utensils and cutting boards for different allergen items.  Using paper plates as cutting boards can reduce the chance for cross contamination by simply disposing of them after you cut each item. Keeping cross contamination in mind is always an important skill to develop when you are dealing with food allergies. Remember, you and your health are worth the effort.

Check out ServSafe™ website here