Allergies in shared emergency food: labels and cross-contact

With an allergy, the immune system reacts to certain proteins in a food. Even the smallest amounts can trigger a reaction, from a skin rash to a life-threatening reaction of the whole body. An intolerance, for example to milk sugar, is usually unpleasant but less dangerous. People with coeliac disease must strictly avoid gluten, even in small amounts.

Cross-contact happens when the allergen is transferred to an otherwise free dish via shared utensils, chopping boards, hands, frying oil or cooking water. An example: gluten-free pasta cooked in the water from wheat pasta is no longer gluten-free. Boiling, frying or baking does not destroy allergens. Picking things out only removes the visible pieces, not the traces.

That is why only four things work: separation, the right order, thorough cleaning and complete information about what is in a dish.

On arrival, or already during planning, ask who has which allergy or intolerance and write it down visibly in the kitchen. With children, ask the parents; many children cannot yet explain their allergy reliably. Do not throw packaging away until the dish has been eaten, or photograph the ingredient list. In the EU, 14 major allergens must be highlighted in the ingredient list of packaged foods.

Prepare the allergen-free dish first – with freshly cleaned utensils and on a clean surface. Then it is covered, labelled and set apart. Separate spoons, boards and pots, ideally colour-coded, prevent mix-ups. Shared frying oil or cooking water is off-limits.

When serving, the affected person is served first, with a separate ladle. Whoever serves must be able to answer questions – or say honestly when an ingredient is unknown. If it is unclear what is in a dish, it is not served to people with allergies, even when food is scarce.

An allergic reaction can become life-threatening. Warning signs are breathing difficulty, swelling of the face or throat, for example, and circulation problems. Then the local emergency number is called immediately (112 in the EU) and the affected person's own emergency plan is followed, for example a prescribed emergency medication according to its instructions. Ask people with severe allergies beforehand where their emergency kit is and what to do in an emergency.

Hand sanitiser kills germs, but it does not reliably remove food proteins. Hands are therefore washed with soap and water or wiped with cleaning wipes. Surfaces and utensils are also cleaned with water and washing-up liquid.

Where water is scarce, separate utensils are safer than a quick rinse. Phrases such as “a little won't hurt” have no place in a kitchen that serves people with allergies.

In an emergency shelter or neighbourhood help, donations often arrive without an ingredient list – home-baked cake, decanted food, stew in big pots. That may be fine for most people, but it is not served to people with allergies. Statements such as “may contain traces” are voluntary, by the way; if they are missing, that does not automatically mean a product is free of traces.

People with severe allergies are safest when they bring their own labelled stock that needs no cooking. Outside the EU, other labelling rules apply; check the local requirements there. A communal kitchen can try very hard – but there is never a guarantee of complete freedom from allergens.