Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson is today encouraging consumers and food businesses to look at innovative ways to boost awareness of food allergies, marking the start of Food Allergy Awareness Week.
"More than 160,000 people in NSW have a food allergy of some sort," Ms Hodgkinson said. "Statistics show that one in 10 babies born in Australia today will develop a food allergy.
"Allergy awareness is everyone’s responsibility."
The nine foods responsible for 90 per cent of food allergy reactions are:
• peanuts;
• tree nuts (such as almonds and cashews);
• eggs;
• milk;
• fish;
• crustaceans (shellfish such as prawns and lobsters);
• sesame;
• soy; and
• wheat
The NSW Government’s role is to make sure food labels comply with national standards, which are set by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), so people can be sure they have accurate information about the foods they buy and consume.
"This is particularly important when it comes to allergens, in fact it can be a matter of life and death for some people," Ms Hodgkinson said.
"When it comes to dining out, both the customer and the food service business plays a role in helping to prevent an allergic reaction.
"The law requires food businesses to provide accurate information when a customer asks about potential allergens in the food they are served."
