Restaurants Facing New Food Allergy Laws

"We hope that the whole culture of food safety, in regards to the allergens, will be improved," said Peter Mirandi, director of the Danvers Depatment of Public Health.

Food protection managers are responsible for teaching their staff about the changes, which include manager personally serving customers with food allergies. The goal is to minimize mistakes. Experts say peanut allergies alone kill about 100 Americans every year.

"It really puts it all in perspective on how important it is," said Ron Supino of Supino's Restaurant in Danvers, "(And)how much more the managers need to be involved.

Attendees also learned how to avoid cross-contamination by paying close attention when passing one food over another, washing hands with soap and water and not hand sanitizer, and wiping food preparation areas, table tops and highchairs with commercial-strength cleaners.

"If you're more aware and you care about the customer, it helps them," said Joanne Emerson of Putnam Pantry Candy in Danvers.

Restaurants are also encouraged to make simpler dishes by avoiding ingredients that hide allergens, like some mollusks and shellfish, barley and rye. Currently, federal law does not require "minor" allergens to be clearly listed on food labels.

The training also included information on what to do if a customer goes into shock.Restaurants should call 911 but should make sure the customer stays seated. According to the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, people are more likely to die if stood up before paramedics arrive.