It’s time for restaurant workers to understand ingredients or not be afraid to ask the chef, the sous chef, or someone on the line. Somebody must know. After all we are talking about a lot of people, an ever-increasing number, up 18% since 1997, who have some sort of food allergy.

We’re talking allergies appropriately during this week, the 12th annual Food Allergy Awareness Week. The numbers are staggering how many people have allergies to certain foods or have a little hunch that certain foods trigger an unpleasant reaction. We are talking potentially fatal issues here.

When a restaurant guest asks about peanuts, you better know. When they say they are not allergic to peanuts but think the pesto sauce may be a problem, you need to know whether it is made with pine nuts and if that is the question. 

Besides the peanut and nut family, there are egg, wheat, and milk allergies. Consumers know their issues and it is a restaurant’s responsibility to train the staff or have a knowledgeable person on duty who can break down the ingredients if necessary. This is not a guessing game. Food allergies are serious business and can be more than a business decision: They can be life-threatening.

According to the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, more than 12 million Americans have food allergies, that’s one in 25, or 4 % of the population. Eight foods account for 90% of all food-allergic reactions in the U.S.: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios, cashews), wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish. That’s a broad spectrum.

People want to eat out. They just need to know about preparation and ingredients.

This is the week to get everyone on board. Make sure restaurant staff know actual ingredients when the question is asked. Understand how important preparation can be–was the dish prepared with a shellfish glaze? That may be THE most important piece of information..

It is time to know.

We can all help.