Natasha’s Day: Why Food Allergy Awareness Matters Every Day
Leave a Comment1 October is Natasha’s Day – a day to remember Natasha Ednan-Laperouse and the lasting change her story has brought to food allergy awareness.
Natasha was just 15 when she died from an allergic reaction after eating a baguette containing sesame. Her family’s campaign for change helped lead to significant improvements in allergen labelling, including Natasha’s Law, which came into force in October 2021.
But Natasha’s legacy goes beyond changes to food labels. It has helped shine a light on the everyday reality of living with a food allergy and the importance of understanding, communication and taking allergies seriously.
Why does this matter to foodservice?
For anyone working in foodservice, allergens are part of everyday responsibility.
Whether you are serving food in a restaurant, café, school, care home, hotel or leisure venue, customers need to be able to make informed choices about what they eat.
There are 14 allergens that must be declared under UK food information rules, including cereals containing gluten, milk, eggs, peanuts, nuts, soya, sesame and sulphites.
But allergen management is about more than simply having a list of ingredients.
It means making sure allergen information is accurate, keeping it up to date when products or recipes change, preventing cross-contamination and ensuring staff understand how to respond to allergen enquiries.
Most importantly, it means never making assumptions.
Practical allergy support from Trevors
At Trevors, we know that managing allergen information can be challenging, particularly for busy foodservice businesses dealing with thousands of products and constantly changing menus.
That’s why we provide practical support to help customers access the information they need.
Through our online ordering platform, Coldweb, customers can access product information including allergen details, helping them make informed decisions when ordering.
We also provide resources to help customers better understand allergen requirements and how they apply to foodservice.
Our Allergen & Nutrition resource brings together useful information to help businesses understand their responsibilities and manage allergen information more confidently.
Working with the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation
We’re proud that Country Range Group supports the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation as one of its chosen charities.
The Foundation was established by Natasha’s parents, Tanya and Nadim Ednan-Laperouse, following Natasha’s death. Its work focuses on research, education, awareness and advocacy, with the long-term ambition of creating a future without food allergy.
The Foundation also provides educational resources to help children and young people understand food allergies and stay safe.
For everyone working in foodservice, supporting this work is particularly relevant. The food we provide can have a direct impact on the lives of people living with allergies, and better understanding across the industry can help create safer environments.
Remembering Natasha
Natasha’s story changed the conversation around food allergies and helped bring about important changes in the way allergen information is provided.
But there is still work to do.
Natasha’s Day is an opportunity to remember her, recognise the progress that has been made and consider what more we can all do to improve food allergy awareness.
At Trevors, we’ll continue to support our customers with practical allergen information and resources, helping foodservice businesses understand their responsibilities and serve their customers safely and confidently.
Remembering Natasha. Supporting change. Working towards a future without food allergy. 💙
Find out more
For more information about food allergies and practical allergen support, visit our Allergen & Nutrition resource.
To learn more about Natasha’s story and the work of the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, visit the Foundation’s website.
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