Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
Creative Research Ltd, Bishops Castle, UK.
Clin Exp Allergy. 2018 Mar;48(3):317-324. doi: 10.1111/cea.13072. Epub 2018 Jan 15.
Strict allergen avoidance is important in day-to-day management of food allergy and avoidance when eating outside the home can present particular difficulties. EU legislation (EU FIC) introduced in December 2014 aimed to improve food allergen information provision for customers by requiring retailers of non-prepacked foods to provide information related to the content of one or more of 14 specified food allergens within their foods.
To investigate the impact of EU FIC on the behaviours, experiences and attitudes of consumers with food allergy when eating out.
As part of longitudinal research, participants with food allergy from across the UK took part in either (A) pre and post legislation in-depth interviews, or (B) pre and post legislation surveys. In-depth interviews were carried out with 28 participants pre and post legislation and analysed using the framework approach. Self-report surveys were completed by 129 participants pre and post legislation, and responses were subject to quantitative analyses.
Improvements in allergen information provision and raised awareness of food allergy in eating out venues were reported following introduction of EU FIC. Whilst participants favoured written allergen information, they expressed greater confidence in communicating with eating out staff and in trusting the allergen information that they provided. Improvements were judged to be gradual, sporadic or inconsistent in implementation.
CONCLUSION & CLINICAL RELEVANCE: For many participants, the "ideal" eating out experience was one in which a range of information resources were available and where written allergen information was complemented by proactive and accommodating staff within an allergy-aware environment. Whilst the onus is on legislators and food providers to ensure that adequate allergen information is provided, clinicians play an important role in encouraging patients with food allergy to pursue their legal right to make allergen enquiries to avoid accidental allergen ingestion when eating out.
在日常管理食物过敏中，严格避免过敏原非常重要，而外出就餐时避免过敏原可能会带来特殊困难。欧盟法规（EU FIC）于 2014 年 12 月出台，旨在通过要求非预包装食品零售商提供与其食品中一种或多种指定食物过敏原含量相关的信息，改善消费者对食物过敏原的信息供应。
调查 EU FIC 对食物过敏消费者外出就餐时行为、经历和态度的影响。
作为纵向研究的一部分，来自英国各地的食物过敏患者参与了（A）立法前后的深入访谈，或（B）立法前后的调查。在立法前后，对 28 名参与者进行了深入访谈，并使用框架方法进行分析。129 名参与者在立法前后完成了自我报告调查，对调查结果进行了定量分析。
EU FIC 出台后，就餐场所的过敏原信息提供和食物过敏意识有所提高。尽管参与者更喜欢书面过敏原信息，但他们在与外出就餐员工沟通和信任他们提供的过敏原信息方面表现出更大的信心。改进被认为是渐进的、零星的或不一致的实施。
对许多参与者而言，“理想”的外出就餐体验是在有多种信息资源的情况下，书面过敏原信息得到补充，工作人员积极主动、包容，并且对过敏有认识的环境。虽然立法者和食品供应商有责任确保提供足够的过敏原信息，但临床医生在鼓励食物过敏患者行使他们的合法权利，向外出就餐时询问过敏原，以避免意外摄入过敏原方面发挥着重要作用。
