Massachusetts will become the first state requiring food workers to participate in food allergy training. Over 12 million people in America-4% of our population-have food allergies, and the number is growing (though researchers can't figure out why). Food allergy awareness advocates are hoping the new Massachusetts rules will spread to other states.
MedpageToday.com interviewed Scott Sicherer, MD, a pediatrician and researcher at the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai in New York, who said training of restaurant personnel on food allergies will "go a long way in making restaurant meals safer."
Sicherer said he performed a study several years ago of restaurant personnel in 100 New York area restaurants and found most had no food allergy training. Many had misconceptions about food allergies.