In support of safer, more inclusive patient dining, healthcare meal provider, apetito has launched a brand-new on-demand webinar, shining a spotlight on the critical role of managing allergen and gluten-free diets in hospital catering.

Host, Chris Cooper, Sales Manager for Healthcare at apetito, is joined by leading experts from across the industry; Alex Costigliola, Head of Food Regulation and Networks at Coeliac UK, Caroline Benjamin, Founder of Food Allergy Aware and Iain Mortimer, Group Technical Manager at apetito.

This FREE webinar offers a deep dive into the ever-changing, complex landscape of food hypersensitivities, equipping caterers with practical guidance and regulatory know-how to safeguard patient wellbeing.

Discussions focus on areas like navigating critical distinctions in labelling and terminology, understanding best practice in safety policies and communication and the latest research being done to enhance knowledge in the area.

Viewers will also hear about the vital role of staff training and awareness, with advice from leading voices on what to deliver, who to involve and how to best embed awareness across teams to ensure an inclusive, safe dining experience. Caroline commented:

“Training should be a priority for all staff involved in meal services. However, for the ward staff, a lot of the allergen training is voluntary. We’d like to see more in-depth, tailored training for those members of staff, and for the nurses and volunteers that come in to support.

“We need to be giving them the knowledge to ensure they are asking the right questions and communicating effectively, because the majority of issues that arise are down to miscommunication.”

Alex further echoed Caroline’s sentiments and called for stricter legislation, saying:

“The landscape has changed; it’s become more regulated, more visible and more scrutinised. The Food Standards Agency are providing a lot of guidance, but, for me, dedicated allergen training should be mandatory for anyone working in a catering environment. Providing guidance is great, but at some point, there will need to be stricter legislation in place.”

The role that a preprepared meal provision plays in helping to mitigate some of the risks is also addressed, outlining where this can support consistent, high-quality mealtime offerings in hospitals.

Iain commented on the strict safety protocols followed by apetito to ensure patient safety:

“At apetito, for our Free-From range we test for any allergen that we handle to make sure that we cannot detect it before each batch is released for sale, making it about as guaranteed ‘free-from’ as you can get. This provides confidence for hospital caterers working in busy kitchens, knowing that the meal is safe for the patient and not at risk of cross-contact.”

Listen to the full webinar for free here.