Madison, WI – The International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA) has released a free new online and mobile training video that helps educate managers and service associates in fresh perishable departments on food allergens and offers tips on how to engage consumers on the subject.
Titled Safe Food Matters: Allergen Awareness, the five-minute long training video addresses such topics as:
- What ingredients can trigger a food allergy reaction.
- The difference between a food intolerance and a food allergy.
- How to assist shoppers who have food allergies in their purchases.
- Ways to decrease the risk of cross-contact when preparing and selling food.
The training video is accessible at training.iddba.org.
The video is the latest training resource developed in support of IDDBA’s Safe Food Matters! Focus on Allergens campaign, which builds awareness on the importance of food allergen education and best practices in deli, bakery, dairy, and foodservice departments. The second-annual, year-long initiative provides food retailers, manufacturers, and their employees with information, tools, and research to assist them in reducing the likelihood of allergic reactions among shoppers as a result of direct exposure and cross-contact in store-level fresh perimeter departments.
Reactions to food allergens are responsible for 200,000 emergency room visits and as many as 200 deaths annually. An estimated 15 million Americans (including one in every 13 children) suffer from food allergies.
“The number of shoppers affected by food allergies is growing, and these individuals are looking more and more toward food retailers to assist them in making the right food purchasing decisions,” said Mary Kay O’Connor, VP Education, IDDBA. “Our latest training video can help department managers and service associates gain the knowledge needed to communicate with and assist customers with more confidence.”
As part of the campaign, IDDBA has created a new online industry resource page that features training materials, handouts, white papers, food safety certification reimbursement information, and other services. Additionally, food-allergen-themed presentations are slated for Dairy-Deli-Bake Seminar and Expo, June 5-7, in Houston, TX.
To learn more about IDDBA’s Safe Food Matters! Focus on Allergens campaign, visit http://iddba.org/safefoodmatters-allergens.aspx.
About IDDBA: IDDBA is a nonprofit membership organization serving the dairy, deli, bakery, cheese, and supermarket foodservice industries. Member companies enjoy many benefits and services including the annual Dairy-Deli-Bake Seminar and Expo, leading-edge research, free training programs, management tools, and an annual trends report, What’s in Store 2016. For more information, contact IDDBA at 608.310.5000 or visit our Web site, iddba.org.
Source: International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA)