FOOD AWARENESS MATTERS TO MICE PROFESSIONALS: Event professionals and their catering partners must be prepared to meet the needs of food-allergic event participants. It could mean the difference between an enjoyable experience, a sick delegate, an offended guest or even the unfortunate death of an attendee.

1. Educational:
MICE & Food Awareness
Brought to you by MPI Belgium

2. Food & diet awareness

3. Why does it matter to MICE professionals?
Event professionals and their catering partners must
be prepared to meet the needs of food-allergic event
participants.
It could mean the difference between an enjoyable
experience or the unfortunate death of an attendee.

4. Facts
Globally, researchers estimate
220-250 million people may
suffer from a food allergy. In the
US, nearly 15 million people
have food allergies.
In Europe, 17 million people
are afflicted.
Research suggests that close to
50 percent of all fatal food
allergies are triggered from
food consumed outside of the
home.
That includes staying at hotels,
conferences, employee picnics,
corporate dinners, etc.
Source: FARE

5. Exercise for during the presentation
Imagine trying to eat like someone with a food allergy every day,
keeping in mind that you are not always able to eat at home or bring
your own food.
• 3-day conference abroad
• Early start morning & late evening end
• Unflexible event catering & hotel catering setting

6. Image left: Roz Chast

7. Medical
Religious
&
Cultural
Lifestyle

8. Allergy vs intolerance
Food allergy
• Immune response caused by a protein
• Symptoms appear soon after eating
• May be at risk of a life-threatening
reaction (anaphylaxis)
• Smallest amount of the allergen causes a
reaction
Food intolerance
• Usually enzyme deficiency
• Symptoms appear later
• Not life-threatening, can cause a range of
symptoms
• May be able to eat small amounts of the
offending food without trouble
• Quite common

9. The EU Top14
allergens
• The EU Top14 foods and substances
(“allergens”) which are identified in the
EU legislation.
• Consumers intolerant or allergic to
different foodstuffs can react to a wide
range of amounts of allergenic foods.
These amounts can vary considerably
(from micrograms to grams)
depending on the individual’s personal
tolerance, their health and their current
medication.
Dairy Egg FishTree Nuts
Peanuts Soybeans
Source: FoodDrinkEurope, Guidance on Food Allergen Management for Food Manufacturers

10. Most common
intolerances
• Dairy (Lactose or Milk intolerance)
• Gluten
• Fructose, fructans and polyols
• Yeast
• Alcohol
• Sulphites
Image: Lifehacker, remixed from ayelet-keshet (Shutterstock) and moonkin (Shutterstock).

13. Celiac disease
• Not an allergy, not a food intolerance
• A life-long autoimmune disease
• Body produces antibodies that attack its own tissues
• Triggered by gluten, a family of proteins found in wheat, rye, barley and
oats
• Causes an inflammatory response that damages the gut
People who do not have coeliac disease can be allergic to cereals, such as wheat.

14. Diabetes & heart disease
Provide items low in:
• salt
• fat
• sugar
Provide items high in fiber such
as:
• beans
• fruits
• vegetables
• grains

15. Medical
Religious
&
Cultural
Lifestyle

16. Types of diets – Religious & Culural
Buddhism • Some practise vegetarianism based on a strict interpretation of the first of the Five
Precepts.
Hinduism • Often follow lacto-vegetarian diets, based on the principle of Ahimsa (non-
harming).
• Alcohol is avoided.
Islam • Halal
• Haraam substances (not OK) include alcohol, pork, and any meat from an animal
which was not killed through the Islamic method of ritual slaughter (Dhabiha).
• Ramadan
Judaism • Kosher
• Some foods and food combinations are non-Kosher
• Failure to prepare food in accordance with Kashrut can make otherwise permissible
foods non-Kosher
Christians • Lent

17. Medical
Religious
&
Cultural
Lifestyle

18. VEGETARIAN VEGAN
The most current and common forms of vegetarianism are:
• Lacto Vegetarian (no eggs)
• Pescetarian (eats fish)
PALEO
Avoid consumption or usage (leather) of anything that
comes from an animal (meat, poultry, fish and seafood) and
all by-products (milk, eggs, honey).
Also avoid using animals for entertainment.
RAW FOOD MACROBIOTIC
Food cannot be cooked over 40°C

19. Do you provide standard meals for those with
religious, cultural or lifestyle choices? For which ‘diets’
– where do you draw the line?
Do you provide special meals upon request?
Does your hotel ask guests for dietary information
upon booking?

20. How to provide your
customers with
information?

21. Legislation doesn’t set out
a single way that the
allergen information has to
be provided in a catering
setting.

22. Voluntary best practises
• Keep it clear and easily visible, legible and accurate.
• Information can be given for the entire dish or with components separated
to give customers more choice.
Example: BBQ Chicken Burger and coleslaw (Chicken burger: wheat; BBQ sauce: celery, fish;
Bun: wheat, eggs, sesame; Coleslaw: egg, celeriac, mustard).
 Customer with mustard allergy can ask burger without coleslaw.
Source: DWF.co.uk, Interactive Food Service Menu (link)

23. Voluntary best practises
• Ask customers to tell you if they have a food allergy or intolerance.
Put this in writing on the menu.
“Before you order your food and drinks please speak to our staff if you have a food allergy
or intolerance. There may be a risk of cross contamination which could affect those with
severe allergies.“
• Advise against high-risk menu choices
Fried foods, desserts, stews, sauces. Finger food that is being served together with non-
safe foods (cross-contamination).

24. Make menu reading food allergy friendly
Instead of
Apple Cake
Blue Cheese Dressing
Monterey Pasta Salad
Chicken Stir-Fry
Asian Noodles
Describe as
Apple-Walnut Cake
Blue Cheese and Walnut Dressing
Monterey Pasta Salad With Almonds
Chicken Cashew Stir-Fry
Asian Noodles With Peanuts

25. Blackboard
• Flexible medium
• Clear allergen mention
• Ask customers to tell
you if they have a food
allergy or intolerance.
Source: DWF.co.uk, Interactive Food Service Menu

26. Menu w/
icons
• Not-so-flexible medium
• Don’t forget to have a
legend
• Ask customers to tell
you if they have a food
allergy or intolerance.
Image source: TGI Fridays & Allergenen Consultancy

27. Walt Disney
World Resort
• Webpage with
information
• Ability to request a special
meal
• Mention « The sooner you
let us know… »
• Personal food items
allowed

28. Buffet
labelling
• Use of a symbols or
colours
• Don’t forget a legend if
symbols might not be
clear
• Be specfic and mention all
ingredients

29. Menu
• Information for all 3
categories:
• Medical- allergens
specified
• Religious
• Lifestyle
Source: www.housing.umich.edu

30. Seated
dinners
• Use stickers on
namecards

31. “Backstage”:
Allergen matrix
• Helpful for staff
• Staff can give this to a
customer so they can
make the right decision
• Careful with cross-
contamination!

32. Be smart about managing
food at your events

33. Ask in advance
Source: ThriveMeetings.com
1

34. Question round
Have you ever been at an event with ’special meal
vouchers’?
Do you think this is a good solution?
You might get a lot of dietary requests: from allergies, to
intolerances, to religious restrictions. And then we didn’t
include those on lifestyle diets such as paleo or ‘pure’
eating. How do you deal with this?

35. How do you tackle this?
You might get a lot of dietary requests: from allergies, to intolerances, to
religious restrictions. And then we didn’t include those on lifestyle diets such
as paleo or ‘pure’ eating.
Question round: Too many (different) dietary
requests

36. Communicate with all partners
Source: ThriveMeetings.com
2
Attendee
Planner
Caterer
• Get attendees to communicate to you as a
planner.
• Acknowledge you received attendees’
information, follow-up explaining how their
needs will be addressed.
• Make sure all catering partners are aware of
dietary needs for each of the functions.
• Communicate with catering partners about
how to address the needs of attendees,
how cross-contamination will be avoided &
how will be communicated with attendees.

37. How does reception communicate towards catering
for special requests?
Do you have a CRM system registering dietary
requests so the info is available next time an attendee
registers/books?
Question round

38. Label Buffets and Stations
Source: ThriveMeetings.com
3
• Labeling buffets with ingredient lists helps guests with special dietary
needs feel more comfortable selecting items to eat.
Manage Cross Contamination4
• Make sure event staff is conscientious of cross contamination when
serving guests.
• Have a separate station, sauté pans or blenders for those with food
allergies.

39. How do you tackle this?
My caterer is not providing special meals for attendees with food allergies,
or there is no budget left to provide everyone with a meal they can have.
Question round: Special meals not possible

40. Alternatives5
• Provide a lunch bag with pre-packaged food that is labelled allergy-
free.
• Try to see whether nearby restaurants/shops can accommodate your
attendees and issue gift certificates.
• Look into companies that ship and create healthy and allergy-free
snack boxes to your event or select attendee's rooms.

41. • Provide a room with a refrigerator if available.
• Contact people who mention allergies/intolerances and confirm they’ll have a refrigerator.
• Some hotels actually shop for you guests and stock their minibar with foods they request.
Hotel minibars5

42. How to decide to go the extra mile?
Consider these things:
• Are they paying?
• Is the event mandatory to attend?
• Can people go outside for breaks and are there
restaurants / shops around where people with food
requirements can have lunch?
• Is it a passive or active event?
• What else?

43. How do you tackle this?
As a PCO you might run into the issue that some clients won't see the need
to collect personal information or they may feel it is an invasion of privacy to
pass medical information on to event planners.
Question round: Privacy concerns

44. How do you tackle this?
There are a lot of no-shows in general, when people with (difficult) dietary
requirements don’t show up it feels even more as a waste.
Question round: No-shows

45. How will it influence event
& hospitality staff?

46. “Their staff will also need training so
that they understand the processes
in place in the business where they
work and know how to deal with the
questions they get from allergic
customers”
- Sue Hattersley, Head of Allergy at Food Standards
Agency“It is not expected that everyone should be
able to answer every question but there
should be at least someone in the organisation
on shift who can deal with all questions relating
to allergenic ingredients. This could be a duty
manager, owner or chef who knows the
information.”
- Sue Hattersley, Head of Allergy at Food Standards Agency

47. Ensuring your team is ready
• Is the staff aware of the potentially serious consequences of an allergic reaction?
• Does the staff know how to deal responsibly with questions about allergy?
• Who answers questions about allergens? Is there an appointed ‘allergy manager’?
• Does kitchen staff know they should prepare a new meal if an allergen accidentally
got into a dish?
• Does the staff know what to do if a guest has an allergic reaction?
• Who does what in an emergency?
• Is everyone aware of cross-contamination during preparation, cooking and serving?
Source: DWF.co.uk, Interactive Food Service Menu (link)

48. “If companies provide clear and
consistent information then people
with allergies will go there
regularly, which in itself is a
commercial advantage as you will
gain trust within your allergy
customers.”
- Sue Hattersley, Head of Allergy at Food Standards AgencyThe customer has a responsibility to
ask for information and relay their
dietary needs to the person providing the
food.
Customers should make the final decision
on whether or not to buy and eat a food,
based on the information you provide.

49. Food trends

50. BRAINFOOD

51. « Food for
the brain »
Accredits hotels and institutions.
http://www.foodforthebrain.org/nut
rition-solutions/accreditation-in-
catering/accredited-institutions.aspx

52. SMALL PORTIONS,
BIG FLAVOURS

53. The best kind of small plates are
actually the ones that require no
plates at all.
Get creative: replace small
plates by paper cones.
Small portions on small plates
instead of courses.

54. GLUTEN FREE

55. LOCAVORISM

56. INTERACTIVE

57. Cut your own pasta Live food bars Food & Beverage Carts

58. UPSCALE
COMFORT FOOD

59. Macaroni and cheese
bites
Miniature Grilled Cheese
with Creamy Tomato
Soup
Mini-hamburgers with
sophisticated toppings

60. VEGGIE-BASED

61. Menu ideas

62. Menu ideas
• Not-your-typical salad
• Baby Salad Greens with Grape Tomatoes, Euro Cucumbers, Carrot Curls, Beet Curls,
Olives, and Balsamic Vinaigrette or Cucumber Lemon Dill Dressing
• Build-your-own soup du jours
• Choice of: Vegetable Broth, Seven Onion Broth, Thai Chili Lemon Grass Green Curry
• With: Rice Noodles, Roasted Vegetables, Carrots, Snap Peas, Bean Sprouts, Grilled
Chicken Scallions, and Mushrooms
• Sundae Bar
• With dairy free ice-cream and gluten-free toppings
• Build your own fajita station (with corn wraps or tortillas)
• Oatmeal breakfast bar – choose water / milk / soy milkand toppings

63. Menu ideas
• Starters
• Edamame Steamed and served with kosher salt
• Seared Tuna served with avocado, scallions and a side of tataki sauce
• Mains
• Roasted Chicken Breasts Chimichurri with Olive Oil, Garlic, Oregano, and Parsley
• Baked Grilled Beef Tenderloin Medallions with Pan Roasted Wild Mushrooms
• Moroccan Vegetable Stew paired with a Grilled Corn Polenta or with Quinoa
• Grilled Vegetables and Rosemary Oil