The hospitality industry has worried about allergens in food for some time, and several shocking recent cases have brought the topic to the forefront of public concern.
While food labelling is being tightened following the tragedy, UK bars, restaurants and food outlets are already working hard to identify potential areas of risk.
But it’s difficult to be comprehensive.
The NHS warns that there are many different types of allergic reaction to food – and that’s not even counting milder intolerances that can also affect diners.
Drawing up a definitive list of every potential allergen is a headache for any chef – one recent tragedy was caused by a reaction to unlabelled sesame in a baguette.
The responsibility of missing something is a heavy burden. Food allergy causes at least ten deaths a year in the UK, according to the Food Standards Agency.
And once you have a list for your food preparation, how do you make sure your serving staff are aware of everything on it?
Thankfully, restaurant management technology is rising to the challenge.
NFS Technology – the provider of leading restaurant management system Aloha – has formed a strategic partnership with innovative food & beverage management platform, Kitchen CUT.
Kitchen CUT’s (www.kitchencut.com) cloud-based, scaleable SaaS technology delivers comprehensive software for complete control over F&B operations.
The combination of our Aloha and Kitchen CUT’s system creates a perfect way for hospitality teams to keep tight control of new dishes and beverages in areas ranging from cost to ingredient selection and allergen warnings.
NFS head of sales for hospitality, Chris Cartmell, says: “This adds enhanced functionality to our powerful restaurant management system.
“The system allows them to work to tight cost controls and highlights any potential allergens in ingredients. This live information is than pulled through into every sub-recipe, recipe and dish in which the ingredient is used, making allergens completely traceable.”
In addition, serving staff using Aloha handheld devices or tablets to take orders at tableside are able to access allergen information from Kitchen CUT user-friendly spec sheets and menus.
As Phil Linton, Commercial Director of Kitchen CUT, says: “It’s is our combined objective to provide increased transparency and profitability for restaurants.
“We’re looking forward to building on the successful working relationship we have established with NFS and their customers over the past 12 months.”
The same goes for us, Phil.
And we hope this pioneering partnership will help our clients not only to grow their businesses, but also – crucially – to protect the precious wellbeing of their customers now and in the future.
* See more information about Aloha at www.nfs-hospitality.com
