Monday 24 April to Sunday 30 April is the 2023 Allergy Awareness Week in the UK. The awareness week was created by British charity, Allergy UK with the aim of making people aware of the existence of allergies. Dutch Spices offers allergen-safe seasonings that dovetail perfectly with this goal.
Allergies affect more people than we might think. Allergies include hypersensitivity to pollen in the air (hay fever), the filling in some cushions, specific cosmetics, or certain kinds of food. The old adage (its earliest known use was by Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius in the first century B.C.) ‘One man’s food is another man’s poison’ makes the concept of an allergy very clear: what causes one person absolutely no problem could result in somebody else having an allergic reaction ranging from a mild skin rash to the complete suppression of their immune system. The substances, the allergens, are not in themselves harmful, but the body of the allergic person sees them as foreign or dangerous and reacts by setting the immune system to work to fight the ‘intruder’.
Allergies are common and can be very serious. In fact, in children an allergy is one of the most common health problems. With Allergy Awareness Week the British charity, Allergy UK, is making people aware of the existence of allergies and of their effects for sufferers and other involved parties. The charity also wants to provide resources that offer allergy sufferers and their carers better support. The third key goal is to collect money for research into allergy causes and treatments.
Dutch Spices helps people with food allergies by making and marketing seasonings that are certificated allergen-safe. Our herb and spice mixes, sauces and marinades do not contain any of the 14 substances legally designated as allergens and our allergen management system is so stringent that the absence of any cross-contamination is guaranteed. Dutch Spices stands for ‘Freedom of Taste’: our products are produced with inclusivity in mind so that everyone can enjoy food that is full of flavour. This means our seasonings fit in perfectly with the aims of Allergy Awareness Week.
The online event and content marketing platform, Food Matters Live, has produced a podcast about Allergy Awareness Week in which they talk about the importance of allergy awareness with our Export Manager, Piet Buis, and two of Dutch Spices’ customers. In the podcast Piet explains why, and how, Dutch Spices’ products are safe and why they dovetail so well with Allergy UK’s awareness-raising week. The podcast can be listened to via the website of Food Matters Live from Wednesday 26 April 2023.
You can also read our article Natasha’s Law ensures better allergen information. This poignant story shows why, when it comes to food allergies, an awareness-raising week is so important. Not only in the UK, but for people with a food allergy all over the world.
How is the food industry dealing with the growing need for clear information about food allergens? You can now listen to the podcast on this subject produced jointly by Food Matters Live and Dutch Spices.
Natasha’s Law requires all food outlets to provide full ingredient lists with clear allergen labelling on pre-packed food for direct sale.
The NVWA noted: 60% of the inspected retail, artisan and hospitality companies gave customers inadequate information about allergens in food and dishes.
Dutch Spices uses the inspiration report it compiles twice a year as a basis for the development of new delicious and innovative products and concepts.
