Allergen Management in the Food Industry: Reflecting on the Past, Navigating the Present, Shaping the Future – Advancing Safety Standards and Consumer Confidence

In a rapidly evolving food industry, managing allergens has become a key concern for businesses, consumers, and regulators alike.

The growing awareness of food allergies, coupled with an increased demand for safer dining experiences, has pushed allergen management to the forefront of hospitality and food services.

Join us for “Allergen Management in the Food Industry: Reflecting on the Past, Navigating the Present, Shaping the Future – Advancing Safety Standards and Consumer Confidence in the Food Sector”, where industry leaders, experts, and innovators will come together to explore the milestones of allergen management, the current challenges we face, and the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.

Through a blend of expert insights, case studies, and interactive discussions, Allergy Companions' third annual Allergen Conference will focus on the progress made in allergen safety, the latest regulatory changes, and best practices that are transforming the way businesses approach allergen management. More importantly, we will be exploring how these developments are advancing not just safety standards, but also boosting consumer confidence and ensuring inclusivity across the food sector.

Whether you are a food service provider, a regulatory body, or an advocate for food allergy awareness, this event will provide the tools, knowledge, and networks needed to navigate the complexities of allergen management and shape a safer, more inclusive future for all.

The conference is brought to you by the director of Allergy Companions Limited, Liljia Polo-Richards, and will be chaired by Dominic Jones, CEO of JPRestaurants and Co-Founder of Jersey Food Allergy Group.

The event is sponsored by Nutritics.

Agenda for the day:

09.00 - 09.30: Registration, coffee and tea

09.30 - 09.40: Welcome

09.40 - 10.25: Dr Francesca Sawer, Chartered Clinical Psychologist Specialising in Allergy, & Dr José Maia e Costa, Consultant Paediatrician in Allergy, "Understanding consumer psychology and demystifying myths surrounding allergies"

10.25 - 10.50: Sterling Crew, President of the Institute of Food Science and Technology, "Allergen Food Safety Culture: Why Do Good People Do Bad Things? - Changing Behaviours in Hospitality and Among Consumers Without Telling Them to Change"

10.55 - 11.10: Panel discussion and Q&A

11.10 - 11.25: coffee break

11.25 - 11.55: Alix Baker, Senior Environmental Officer at Wakefield Council, and Emilie Elliott, Senior Manager Safety & Compliance at Starbucks UK, "Striking the Balance: Managing Consumer and Regulator Expectations in Food Allergy Risk Management"

11.55 - 12.25: Dominic Jones & Liljia Polo-Richards, "Bridging the Gap: A Dual Approach to Effective Allergen Management"

12.25 - 12.55: Frankie Douglas, Director of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at Nutritics, "Innovating Allergen Management: Smart Technology for Inclusive Foodservice"

12.55 - 13.00: Anna Riley, Co-Founder of The English Indian "An intro to your lunch"

13.00 - 14.00: LUNCH

14.00 - 14.15: Panel discussion and Q&A

14.15 - 14.25: Introduction to the afternoon's workshops

14.25 - 16.30: Afternoon Workshops (on rotation)

• Effective and ineffective ways to control cross-contamination
• Common operational and customer facing challenges (and how to solve them)
• How inclusive should an operator be? Key challenges, precautionary allergen labelling, dietary choices...and when it's reasonable to say no.

16.30 - 17:00: Closing remarks

If you would like to purchase a student ticket or would like to enquire about group booking discounts, please email liljia@allergycompanions.com or call 07886947215 to discuss your requirements.