Management of allergenic foods in the foodservice industry: multidimensional aspects of consumer safety

• Grant number: 24/12505-4
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Diogo Thimoteo da Cunha
• Grantee: Diogo Thimoteo da Cunha
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas (FCA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Limeira , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Caroline Opolski Medeiros ; Elke Stedefeldt ; Iain Malcolm Ferris ; Jan Mei Soon ; Laís Mariano Zanin ; LETICIA GUIMARAES PERDOMO NASCIMENTO ; Lisa Marie Winnall ; Petar Filipov Atanasov ; PRISCILLA MOURA ROLIM ; Simon Paul Liversedge ; Tatiana Evangelista da Silva Rocha
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/08102-4 - The perception of restaurant owners on the management of allergenic foods: challenges in the absence of legislation, BP.IC

Abstract

The number of cases and diagnoses of food allergies and diseases associated with allergenic foods has steadily increased over the years. Yet despite the development of public policy on processed foods, there is little discussion of the difficulties faced by consumers with food allergies and related illnesses when eating out. If there is no proper management in the food service industry, these consumers put themselves at risk or their right to information and appropriate and safe food is restricted. Therefore, this study aims to: To investigate the level of information about allergenic foods on menus in the food service industry; To evaluate the knowledge and risk perception about allergic crises and the risk of cross-contamination by allergenic foods among food service managers and owners in the five regions of Brazil; To understand the difficulties faced by consumers with food allergies and related diseases when eating out; To evaluate how different types of menu design can facilitate information about allergenic foods and; To discuss the difficulties and opportunities in applying public policies for allergenic foods in the food service industry. The study consists of five phases, the first three of which are categorized as diagnostic phases and the last two as propositional phases. In phase 1, 485 menus from physical and online restaurants in the five regions of Brazil are expected to be analyzed. The menus will be analyzed with regard to the level of information of consumers with food allergies and diseases related to allergenic foods. In phase 2, the risk perception regarding allergic crises of 160 restaurant owners in the five regions of Brazil will be evaluated. The owners' behavior will be evaluated using the Norm activation model. Local practices will be assessed using a specific food allergy checklist. In phase 3, a mixed methodology (qualitative-quantitative) will be used to evaluate consumers with food allergies and diseases related to allergenic foods. This evaluation will involve in-depth interviews with 20 consumers to explore their preferences and strategies for risk reduction when eating out. An extended model of the theoretical model of self-regulation in health (Common Sense Model) will then be applied to 150 consumers with food allergies using quantitative strategies. The aim of this model is to find out how the disease affects these consumers' relationship with eating outside the home. In phase 4, different menu communication strategies are proposed. These strategies will be evaluated based on the perceptions of 40 consumers with food allergies using eye-tracking technology. Finally, in step 5, a review of public policies on this topic will be conducted and regulatory professionals in Brazil (ANVISA) and the UK (UKHSA) will be interviewed to assess the challenges in implementing policies for consumers with food allergies. With the support of organized civil society, the results of this project could open several positive perspectives to ensure the right to information and adequate nutrition for consumers with food allergies and diseases related to allergenic foods. (AU)