If you are employed in any industry involved in food production, you can't afford to ignore the dangers posed by allergens. With plenty of allergy sufferers living across Australia, the risk of someone with an allergy consuming something that could do them harm is too great to be ignored, and allergen testing must become a vital part of the production process.
What are allergic reactions?
Almost everyone is aware of allergic reactions, but not everyone is always clear about what they are. An allergic reaction is simply the name used for what happens when a person's immune system identifies the presence of an allergen in the body and reacts to it. Many parts of the body can be affected by an allergic reaction, but two which are affected frequently are the skin and the respiratory system. Most allergic reactions are minor, such as a rash or a little skin irritation; however, allergic reactions can also be much more serious, including anaphylactic shock, and they could be fatal in extreme cases.
The value of correct identification
With allergies being potentially fatal, the value of properly tracking and identifying allergens should be obvious. Allergies could be caused by foods as simple as milk, eggs, wheat and soy, but identifying what could cause an allergy is only the first step. Even small traces of an ingredient could be enough to cause an allergic reaction, so it is important to know not just what foods you are consuming but what other foods these could have come into contact with. It is for identifying these areas of possible cross-contamination that allergen testing can be used.
Why use allergen testing kits?
Every part of the food supply network must employ an allergen control program. At every stage of the network, it should be possible to know precisely what is going into the food so that customers can be kept safe from the unexpected. It isn't enough to simply accept what your suppliers tell you on faith. You must be prepared to regularly carry out allergen testing to check for any sign of contamination. This testing will need to include not just the completed product but also all of the equipment which is used in its production. It is only through regular allergen testing that you can be sure that your products remain safe and that you can rapidly locate any areas where contamination has occurred.
To learn more, contact a resource that does allergen testing.
