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Food allergies or food intolerances affect nearly everyone at some point. One out of three people either say that they have a food allergy or that they modify the family diet because a family member is suspected of having a food allergy. However, only about 2% of adults and between 2-4% of children have clinically proven allergic reactions to foods.
Each food service establishment is recommended to display a poster that includes information regarding the risk of an allergic reaction. Posters are available from our Environmental Health office, or they can be printed from the MDARD website. The poster is available in many languages.
Symptoms typically appear within minutes to two hours after a person has eaten a food to which he or she is allergic. To reduce the risk of illness via food allergy in your restaurant, make sure your staff are informed of the 8 major food allergens, and if they have a question from a customer, remember the "Four Rs" and follow these helpful guidelines: