More EU regulations to abide by- Food allergens.

For everything specific to B&Bs as opposed to holiday rentals.
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Cassis; interesting link.

Several snippets form that UK document are quite "strong" about what this law means.
you will have a legal responsibility to provide the correct allergen information about the ingredients that is in the
food you make or serve, to your customer.
Details of these allergens will have to be listed clearly in an obvious place such as:
●a menu
●chalkboard
●information pack
If it is not provided upfront, you will need to signpost to where it could be obtained, either in written or oral formats.
Ignorance is no excuse. The change in the law means that you will no longer be able to say that you don’t know what allergens are in the food you serve.
You are also not allowed to say that all the foods you serve could contain an allergen.
You will need to know what is in the food you provide.
As Normandie says France will take it's own way. I hope so for her as this UK document gives the impression we all have to be quite vigilant on how we prepare for this EU Directive.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
Dotty
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Post by Dotty »

Some observations in UK from a consumer point of view:

Yesterday I had to pick up my daughter from university at the other end of the country (in UK), so had a lot of driving to do and stopped for food several times in services etc, and we looked at several outlets each time as people wanted stuff from different ones. I noticed that all of them DID have prominent printed and laminated notices on/near the counters or menu displays saying that allergen info was available for all the food and to ask for details if required. So in the services at least, on the first day they were taking the directive seriously.

Had also seen on the TV (UK) last week several posher restauranteurs saying it was a nuisance to do but having done it they were in favour, and that they were compiling documents for all the food they served, to be made available if asked, with a notice 'front of house' that the info was available.

So at both ends of the scale it looks as if its being taken seriously.
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La Chouette
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Post by La Chouette »

What really makes me want to sigh is the fact that although breakfast is more or less the same and gathering this information and making it available to guests would be easy, dinner is a different matter altogether.

Serving dinner here in France is so much different to a restaurant experience, and our offering certainly changes from day to day, according to our guests' dietary preferences. We ask them what they don't or can't eat and work our menu out according to that. I guess I'll be collecting the daily menu from the chef (OH!), and the ingredients in each of its components and typing them all up. :roll: :cry:

Jan
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Now had tow articles from the Galician press. I am sure you could use Google to translate all if you want.
The basics are.
Link1) http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/lu ... 3C3991.htm
In the Province of Lugo there is criticism about the fact we have not had any notice about this directive. This is true, but why is that? 3 years on the statute books of the EU and not a word.

Link 2) http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/so ... P30995.htm
Again another area of Galicia is upset about this directive. It seems that it is not even going through the Spanish parliament. However the local sanitary committee still insist it is a valid law. Some in the restaurant trade say it is a poorly thought out directive and could be problematic. We certainly agree with that.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
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Normandie
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Post by Normandie »

La Chouette wrote:I guess I'll be collecting the daily menu from the chef (OH!), and the ingredients in each of its components and typing them all up. :roll: :cry:
Wouldn't it be easier to have a check list (or several) in the kitchen with the allergens listed? Then your OH (or any of us in France that do table d'hôte) simply ticks any listed ingredients included in a dish as we cook. There's no need for typing up lists day after day.

I can see that in restaurants or shops, where products may change or recipes tweaked daily or weekly, this regulation will be an irritant but I can't see that it's an enormous amount of extra work for us. I'm not into doom and gloom over changes like this (as is evident, I'm sure :lol:) I see no point in surmising until we get something in writing that applies to how France will implement it for businesses like b&bs.

Awareness is good and it's interesting to know how Spain and the UK are reacting... but this is France.
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La Chouette
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Post by La Chouette »

Wouldn't it be easier to have a check list (or several) in the kitchen with the allergens listed? Then your OH (or any of us in France that do table d'hôte) simply ticks any listed ingredients included in a dish as we cook. There's no need for typing up lists day after day.

I see no point in surmising until we get something in writing that applies to how France will implement it for businesses like b&bs.


You're right...and I'm just seeing it through the fug of endless entertaining of F&F and a tricky Christmas approaching. I'll have my :D face on again by New Year!

Jan
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

Late to this one ... but I wouldn't mind betting that we cdh's offering table d'hôte may well not be affected by this, just as we're not required to keep HACCP records or do food hygiene training.

All we're doing in offering tdh is inviting guests to our own dinner table, to eat with us what we eat. I know a lot of places don't strictly adhere to that in how they operate, but that's the bottom line framework - legally and practically - of what we do.

I shall wait and see what Accueillir magazine has to say before getting my thong in a thicket.
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Our local hosteleria association held a meeting yesterday about this law. The presenter was as much good as a chocolate tea pot. He did not know much about the law, even forgetting what allergens that were covered by the law.
He was going on about it is very little work (oh yer) :roll: and that how he had been working on this directive since 2011. (But still forgets). How all manufactures of food are now abiding by this law.
This last point was disproved, but too late to discus with him, when we went to 2 supermarkets after the presentation. Both right next door to each other one a Spanish brand, the other a German brand. We have not been in the latter for some time so it was an experience . Both supermarkets did not have any foods which comply with this directive. How are we meant to comply then?
This directive has not gone through the Spanish parliament so there could be some changes due to interpretation. :?
What we have learnt is that is not sufficient to say something is gluten free, you have to make a note of what cereals are used. Gluten can be found in wine! :shock:
It is not clear as to the amount of sulphites in wine that have to be noted. Cook with wine, best say your dish contains sulphites.
Advice should be published with the language of the country, in our case Spanish. Lets hope all of those who visit and have some sort of intolerance know what they cannot eat in the local language.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
dorie
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Post by dorie »

Catching up on my Lay my Hat reading after a busy winter! Interesting thread, I hadn't heard of this

I have a question....breakfast cereals all say "may contain nuts" usually as nutty and nut free cereals are made in the same factory. It sounds like we can't use a blanket statement to cover ourselves so surely every single food product will now have to have a definite list? Sounds like a massive job to me....

PS to French Cricket, CDH do need the hygiene permis now (well, at least in this region we do!)
booboo
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Post by booboo »

We don't do food. what I do wonder now is how it effects people who leave gift baskets?

What I do know is... that all cafes here in Slovenia have to have a allergen list printed out and displayed. I believe it was introduced last year.
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