Council works with partners to help promote importance of allergen awareness

Gerard McMonagle Superbites Crossmaglen, Patrick McEneaney KIS Pizza and Coffee Bar Crossmaglen is pictured with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Valerie Harte at one of the series of Allergen Awareness seminars for catering businesses in the district.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council recently organised a series of Allergen Awareness seminars for catering businesses in various location across the district to support local food and catering businesses.

Over 89 delegates attended the seminars which provided businesses with information on the legal requirements in relation to allergens, how to manage allergens and risks within their business, what information they need to provide to customers and how to effectively communicate allergen information with their staff and their customers.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Valerie Harte said, “We were delighted to have the opportunity to offer this new allergen seminar to the food businesses within our Council area. The seminars were packed with useful information for food businesses on how to manage food and beverages when it comes to serving customers who may suffer from allergies.”

Cllr Harte continued, “Allergies can be incredibly serious, and it is important that all food establishments within the Council area are providing the correct information to their staff and the public when it comes to the ingredients, they are using in their food offerings.”

Mr Nadim Ednan-Laperouse the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation is pictured with Sarah Davidson Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Council Chairperson, Councillor Valerie Harte, Catherine Hallissey, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Brian Reid Deli Lites Ireland. The event was organised by Deli Lites Ireland Ltd where Mr Nadim Ednan-Laperouse from the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation was the speaker.

For businesses who were unable to attend the information seminars Council has hosted key information online at https://www.newrymournedown.org/business-allergens. Businesses can also talk to an Environmental Health Officer on 0330 137 4024 to ensure that their business is meeting the requirements of The Food Information Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014.

Following the recent led allergen seminars, our Chairperson of Council, Councillor Valerie Harte and representatives from the Environmental Health Department were kindly invited to attend an event organised by Deli Lites Ireland Ltd where Mr Nadim Ednan-Laperouse from the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation was the speaker.

Mr Ednan-Laperouse daughter Natasha, aged 15 tragically died on the 17 July 2016 whilst on a flight to France after consuming a baguette which had sesame seeds baked into the dough. The label on the packaging didn’t include this ingredient and the sesame seeds were invisible to the naked eye.

Following on from the inquest into her death in 2018 the family campaigned to have a loophole in the legislation changed to ensure that all prepackaged foods made and sold in the same premises had to have list their ingredients. Natasha’s Law came into effect on 1 October 2021. Council representatives were delighted to support this local event organised by Deli Lites and would also encourage food business owners to learn more about the work of the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation by visiting their website https://www.narf.org.uk.