Food to die for, not from

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Simon Thomsen

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If I had a dollar for every time someone said a dish was "to die for" I'd hand over those thousands of dollars for research into food allergies. The tragic reality is that for some people, eating peanuts, for example, could kill them.

In 2007, three Australians died from a severe allergic reaction. Two, aged 21 and 13, died from peanut anaphylaxis, while another, 21, died after ingesting crustaceans. Recent years are littered with other sad cases.

When you have children, all sorts of fears rear up. One that stuck in mind before the birth of our first child was "what if he suffered from a food allergy?" It seemed blackly funny, given my job.

Well, he does. For four years, we've travelled with an Epi-pen (an adrenaline shot) just in case he reacts badly to cashew nuts. I love cashews. We no longer eat them at home and Thai is off the menu for family dinners.

I mention this because May 17-23 is Food Allergy Awareness Week.

Dining out with many different people, it's surprising how many have serious dietary issues and allergies, from dairy to beef, fish, shellfish, garlic (as part of the allium plant family) and nuts. It's a long and varied list.

On a related matter, one of our reviewers on The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide is coeliac. It's not an allergy, but rather an auto-immune reaction to gluten. That means bread, pasta and other wheat-based products are off the menu. That said, he loves eating out and enjoys a varied diet of great food. He's a wise and witty member of our reviewing team who simply needs to be careful - coeliac disease can cause some rather unpleasant reactions in the bowel.

Whether you suffer from coeliac disease or an allergy, it shouldn't stop you dining out. However, everyone needs to me mindful of the dangers and that includes waiters and chefs.

The following info was sent to me by Anaphylaxis Australia Inc. I don't normally repeat press releases verbatim, but this is important information. So important, I'm printing it out myself and taking it to restaurants with my son, so that chefs can get a better understanding of the issues.

But it's not just chefs. People in general need to understand that this is about more than just being a fussy eater. Most Australians who have lost their lives in recent years as a result of food anaphylaxis have eaten food purchased, or given to them, when away from home. Nearly seven out of every 10 fatalities are young people, aged 13 to 21 years.

What follows is a check sheet prepared by Anaphylaxis Australia. Both sides of the table need to do their utmost to ensure a safe meal.

When eating out those at risk of a severe reaction must:
* Always disclose their food allergy. This includes the many adults who may be at risk of anaphylaxis who have not been properly diagnosed;
* If deemed at risk of anaphylaxis, always carry their Anaphylaxis Action Plan and their adrenaline auto injector with them - it is crucial that sufferers are properly diagnosed and educated;
* Ensure the people they are with at that time are aware of their allergy, what a severe reaction might look like and how to give the life-saving adrenaline auto injector.

It is critical that food service staff:
* Let the customer make a decision about a menu purchase once they have given them the required information;
* Take no short cuts or change set menu ingredients;
* Take food allergy seriously; small amounts can cause life threatening reactions;
* Think about cross-contamination when purchasing, storing, preparing and serving food.

For more information on food allergies and what to do, visit www.allergyfacts.org.au or call 1300 728 000

So tell me, do you have any experiences with allergies? Has it affected your confidence when it comes to eating out and what do you do to ensure you have a safe meal?
Has it ever been a problem or have you encountered people who just don't get it?
What can we do to make sure people understand this isn't simply a matter of being a picky eater?