` Opaa! Food Management Food Allergy Policy Guidance A special report to Opaa! s Partners regarding our policy for dealing with Special Dietary Needs and Food Allergies
It is the opinion of allergy medical professionals that food bans do not work because they create a false sense of security. Creating an Allergy-Free Zone for students is a more commonly suggested practice. Opaa! Food Management Allergy Management Commitment Opaa! Food Management is committed to providing a safe and nurturing cafeteria setting for each and every student. Opaa! Food Management recognizes the risk of accidental exposure to allergens can be reduced in the school setting when policy is clearly defined and communication between parents, health care providers, and students is open and a clear written Allergy Action Plan is provided for every student with allergies. Our goal with this policy is to minimize risks and provide a safe cafeteria experience for each and every student.
Goals for Allergy Management 1. To define a formal process for identifying, managing, and ensuring continuity of care for students with life-threatening allergies across all transitions (PreK-12). Opaa! Food Management will carefully follow policy adopted by the district while instructing our food service personnel on ways to safely serve and care for the students we serve. 2. To maintain student health and provide safe meal service for students who have life-threatening allergies. 3. To ensure that interventions and individual health care plans for students with life-threatening allergies are based on medically accurate information and evidence-based practices, in accordance with applicable law. Parents will be assisted in finding the appropriate forms and statements required to support medically necessary changes to a student diet. All available nutritional information will be shared in a timely manner with parents regarding menus and meals prepared for service to students. Opaa! encourages the following actions from students and parents to help support a safe and healthy environment at school: 1. Develop a relationship with the Director of Nutrition Services and Kitchen Manager in their school. Parents and students are encouraged to visit with the kitchen staff and explain the challenges the student is experiencing. We encourage parents and students to visit the kitchen prior to the opening of school to meet the staff and discuss the options for service. 2. Students should avoid sharing or trading of foods or eating utensils with others to protect from an accidental exposure to an allergen. 3. Students should advise an adult immediately if they eat something they believe may contain the food to which they are allergic. 4. Parents and students should review the monthly menus and prepare a list of change that are necessary along with suggestions for substitutions for meals. Substitutions should be identified by the parent or health care provider in order to provide the best possible nutrition for the student. 5. If a parent agrees, Opaa! staff can hang a picture of the student, in a location that is not visible to other students, but where the staff can clearly identify any student with special needs.
Responsibilities of Nutrition Services Provide in-service to nutritional service employees regarding safe food handling practices to avoid cross contamination with potential food allergens. Food service employees will wear non-latex gloves. Gloved hands will be washed or changed during extended use to avoid cross contamination with potential food allergens. Maintain a list of students with food allergies within the food service area with a photo of the student wherever possible. (Photos will not be for public viewing.) Provide allergen-safe zones at schools where students with applicable food allergies are identified with universal symbol. Respond appropriately to all complaints/concerns from any student with a life-threatening allergy. Key Points for Parents, Students and Staff It takes a team to ensure the best for our students. Help is usually a phone call away. Educate, Educate, Educate. This is an ongoing process that changes with the students needs and as the staff changes. It is the opinion of allergy medical professionals that food bans do not work because they create a false sense of security. Creating an Allergy-Free Zone for students is a more commonly suggested practice. The greatest risk for a life-threatening allergic reaction exists when the normal routine is broken. Examples are classroom parties, field trips, a substitute Teacher. A heightened awareness is needed when these events are taking place. Be Prepared. Always have the Allergy Action Plan (AAP) available. Be safe, not sorry! Take all complaints from children with food allergies very, very seriously. It is important to respect the needs and rights of each student. It only takes a trace amount of the food protein to cause an allergic reaction. To prevent exposure to an allergen, hand washing and washing of surfaces (tables, chairs, etc.) when an allergen has been identified is necessary. Soap and warm water are most effective for cleaning surfaces.
Opaa! Food Management is committed to providing a safe and nurturing cafeteria setting for each and every student. Resources The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). FAAN is a great resource for current research, informational newsletter, support groups, and information about food products. Phone: 800-929-4040 or www.foodallergy.org. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. (AAAAI).http://www.aaaai.org. National Association of School Nurses. http://www.nasn.org. Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America. http://www.aafa.org.