Food Allergy Awareness Week

In this episode of A Moment with Marley, we are talking about food allergies.  May 10 through 16 is Food Allergy Awareness Week, which focuses on educating the public about the dangers of food allergies and how to keep those with allergies healthy and safe.   A food allergy happens when the immune system mistakenly identifies a certain food as harmful and reacts to it. Even tiny amounts of an allergen can trigger symptoms. Some common food allergens include: Peanuts Tree nuts Milk Eggs Wheat Soy Fish Shellfish, and Sesame Symptoms can be mild, like hives or itching, or severe such as anaphylaxis, which affects breathing and blood pressure and requires immediate medical attention. For people with food allergies, everyday activities can involve careful planning. If you’ve ever heard someone ask, “Does this contain peanuts?” or watched a parent carefully read every ingredient label in the grocery store, you’ve seen just a small part of what daily life with food allergies can look like.   In Meriden's schools, the Public Health Nurse, and Administrators are trained on how to administer an Epi Pen auto injector. If a student with a known allergy goes on a field trip, their teacher will also become trained on how to administer an Epi Pen auto injector.  Each student has an action plan based on their specific allergies and what to do if the student has a reaction.  Per Connecticut Public Act 23-115, since 2014 select Meriden food service establishments are required to post the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s food allergen poster which includes information on: The most common allergy-causing foods The actions a server should take when a customer notifies the server of a food allergy The ways in which kitchen staff and servers can prevent cross contact of foods, and The need to contact 911 if a customer has an allergic reaction while at the food establishment. You can view this poster in multiple languages on the Environmental Health webpage at www.meridenhealth.com. We recommend that all Meriden residents raise their awareness of common food allergies, how to identify potential allergens on food packaging and menus, learn the signs of anaphylaxis, and learn how to use an Epi Pen auto injector and nasal spray. Questions? Visit the Food Allergy and Research Education website at www.foodallergy.org.