Allergen Management in the Food Industry: Driving Innovation and Collaboration

In a rapidly evolving food industry, managing allergens continues to be a key concern for businesses, consumers, and regulators alike.

The growing awareness of food allergies, coupled with an increased scrutiny on businesses, has pushed allergen management to the forefront of hospitality and food services.

Join us for “Allergen Management in the Food Industry: Driving Innovation and Collaboration”, where industry leaders, experts, and innovators will come together to explore ways to control and manage allergens and cross-contamination, the milestones of allergen management, the legal challenges and how to protect your business, and real examples of how businesses are managing allergens and excelling in the space.

Through a blend of expert insights, case studies, and interactive discussions, Allergy Companions' fourth 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.

This year, we are proud to welcome Intertek, a global leader in Total Quality Assurance, as our Headline Sponsor and Browne Jacobson, who will also be sharing legal insight during the day.

Whether you are a food service provider, hospitality business, 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 event is brought to you by the director of Allergy Companions, Liljia Polo-Richards, and will be chaired by Sterling Crew, global food safety advocate and expert.

Agenda for the day:

09.00 - 09.25: Registration, coffee and tea

09.30 - 09.40: Welcome

09.40 - 10.10: Patrick McNamara, Global Innovations and Quality Manager at Intertek, “Testing Times – How Targeted Analysis Supports Business Due Diligence”

10.10 – 10.40: Lisa Cobb, Group Head of Safety and Helen Statham, Head of Health, Food and Fire Safety UK & Ireland at SSP Group, with Emily Barton, Divisional Manager EHP Consultancy at Shield Safety, “Strengthening Allergen Safety – Lessons Learned from Reporting”

10.40 – 10.55: Panel discussion and Q&A

10.55 - 11.10: coffee break

11.10 – 11.40: Rachel Lyne, Partner, Regulatory and Compliance at Browne Jacobson “Don't Wait for a Tragedy to Learn the Law – How Retailers and Hospitality Businesses Can Stay Ahead of Their Allergen Obligations and Respond Decisively When Incidents Strike”

11.40 - 12.10: Natalie Moore, Group Safety Manager at Hall & Woodhouse and Liljia Polo-Richards, Director and Founder of Allergy Companions “Serving with Confidence: A Proactive Approach to Allergen Management”

12.10 - 12.40: Pete Martin, Senior Trading Standards and Compliance Manager at Morrisons "Keeping Customers Safe: A Grocer’s Perspective on Allergen Management Across Retail, Wholesale, and Hospitality"

12.40 – 13.00: Panel discussions

13.00 - 14.00: Lunch break

13.50 - 14.00: Introduction to the afternoon's workshops

14.00 - 16.30: Afternoon Workshops (on rotation, 14.00 – 14.45, 14.50 – 15.35 and 15.40 – 16.25)

Intertek: "Where Are the True Cross-Contamination Risks? Practical Steps in Allergen Testing"

Rachel Lyne: "Managing Allergen Risk: Build, Test, Respond"

Shaun Kokott: "How Safe Is Your Supply Chain When It Comes to Allergen Risk?"

16.30 - 17:00: Closing remarks