Caregivers play a crucial role in safeguarding the health of their loved ones by ensuring food is safe from foodborne illness and allergens. A food allergy is a potentially serious response to consuming certain foods or food additives. For those who are sensitive, a reaction can occur within minutes or hours, and symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening.

The nine leading causes of food allergies identified in the U.S. are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame.

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) both have laws requiring that all the ingredients in a food product be listed on the food label.

USDA encourages you to follow these food safety tips for allergen awareness.

Four Steps to Food Safety

Safe and wholesome food begins with four simple safe food handling practices that everyone should always follow to avoid foodborne illness and minimize the risk of cross-contact with food allergens.

1. Cleanliness is key. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before, during and after handling food. Clean countertops with hot, soapy water, then sanitize with a commercial or homemade solution. An easy homemade sanitizer can be made by mixing one tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in one gallon of water. Let the solution stand on the surfaces for a few minutes; then air dry or pat dry with clean paper towels. This will ensure that harmful bacteria don’t cross-contaminate other foods and that food allergens are not transferred to a food meant to be allergen free.
2. Separate foods. Keep raw meat, poultry and foods with allergens separate from ready-to-eat foods like fruits and vegetables by using different cutting boards and utensils. If possible, prepare items without allergens first to prevent cross-contact.
3. Cook meats to a safe minimum internal temperature as measured with a food thermometer. Cooking to safe minimum internal temperatures is the only way to ensure the food is safe to consume. Never rely just on the color.
4. Refrigerate foods promptly. Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. This range of temperatures is often called the Danger Zone.

Prevention is Key

The best prevention of an allergic reaction is the strict avoidance of food allergens. Consider these tips for managing foods with potential allergens:

• Always read ingredient label statements thoroughly, even if you are familiar with the product or have bought it before. If a food product does not have an ingredient label, it is safest to avoid consuming it.
• Prepare items without allergens first to prevent cross-contamination.
• If your loved one has food allergies, teach them which foods they should avoid and what they look like.
• Educate your loved one about the importance of washing their hands before eating, not sharing food and the rules of allergen-safe zones at home or care facility.
• Clearly label your loved one’s lunchbox, food items, or containers with their name and allergen information to alert others of their dietary restrictions.

To learn more about food allergens, visit Food Allergies: The “Big 9.”

If you have food safety questions, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), email MPHotline@usda.gov or chat live at www.ask.usda.gov 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. Available in English and Spanish.

Explore more caregiver tips and tools in the Caregiver Toolbox.