Table 1:
General characteristics of employees according to function performed
| Total sample (n=34) | Manager (n=4) | Cook (n=4) | Waiter (n=24) | Kitchen assistant (n=2) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years* | 38.4 (14.0) | 44.2 (16.0) | 45.5 (10.53) | 37.0 (14.38) | 29.5 (7.77) |
| How long have you been performing this function, in months?* | 104.1 (123.92) | 198.0 (163.5) | 141.0 (165.80) | 87.0 (111.73) | 47.0 (52.3) |
| Have you ever had any training on food allergies/intolerances? %(n) | |||||
| Yes | 8.8 (3) | 25.0 (1) | 0.00 (0) | 8.3 (2) | 0.00 (0) |
| No | 91.2 (31) | 75.0 (3) | 100.0 (4) | 91.7 (22) | 100.0 (2) |
Table 2:
Frequency of responses regarding employees’ knowledge about allergens
| True | False | I don’t know | |
|---|---|---|---|
| % (n) | |||
| Which of the following foods/food items are considered allergenic? | |||
| Eggs and egg products | 91.2 (31) | 8.8 (3) | 0.0 (0) |
| Tomatoes and tomato products | 29.4 (10) | 67.6 (23) | 2.9 (1) |
| Oregano and products containing oregano. | 17.6 (6) | 73.5 (25) | 8.8 (3) |
| Milk and milk-based products (except lactose-free products) | 97.1 (33) | 2.9 (1) | 0.00 (0) |
| Celery and celery-based products | 20.6 (7) | 73.5 (25) | 5.9 (2) |
| Mustard and mustard-based products | 67.6 (23) | 26.5 (9) | 5.9 (2) |
Table 3:
Frequency of responses regarding employees’ knowledge of the concepts of food allergy and intolerance
| Statement presented | True | False | I don’t know |
|---|---|---|---|
| % (n) | |||
| 1. A food allergy manifests itself through a response of the immune system when exposed to a specific food/food product. | 73.5 (25) | 2.9 (1) | 23.5 (8) |
| 2. An individual who comes into contact with a food to which they are intolerant may develop an anaphylactic reaction, which can be fatal. | 47.1 (16) | 52.9 (18) | 0.00 (0) |
| 3. An individual allergic to eggs can consume very small amounts of this food. | 14.7 (5) | 85.3 (29) | 0.00 (0) |
| 4. A food intolerance is characterized by an exaggerated reaction of the body to a particular food consumed that does not trigger an immune response. | 67.6 (23) | 11.8 (4) | 20.6 (7) |
| 5. Food intolerances mainly manifest as gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, cramps, or diarrhoea, and unlike allergies, they do not have fatal consequences. | 94.1 (32) | 5.9 (2) | 0.00 (0) |
| 6. In food allergies, symptoms appear between a few minutes and two hours after contact with the allergen and include only gastrointestinal manifestations. | 58.8 (20) | 38.2 (13) | 2.9 (1) |
| 7. Food intolerance is related to the body’s ability to digest food, while food allergy can occur through different routes, including skin or inhalation. | 52.9 (18) | 32.4 (11) | 14.7 (5) |
Table 4:
Frequency of responses regarding employees’ knowledge about cross-contamination and best practices to be implemented
| Statement presented | True | False | I don’t know |
|---|---|---|---|
| % (n) | |||
| 1. A specific cutting board is not required to prepare food for a customer with allergies/intolerances. | 17.6 (6) | 82.4 (28) | 0.00 (0) |
| 2. Small amounts of allergen are not capable of causing allergies. | 11.8 (4) | 88.2 (30) | 0.00 (0) |
| 3. The table where the customer will be seated, as well as the cutlery and utensils to be used by the customer, must be carefully cleaned. | 100.0 (34) | 0.00 (0) | 0.00 (0) |
| 4. If I detect that there was a mistake in preparing a dish for a customer with allergies/intolerances, I must remove the allergenic ingredient and serve the dish again. | 61.8 (21) | 38.2 (13) | 0.00 (0) |
| 5. Frying oil is a vehicle for cross-contamination and therefore new oil should be used exclusively for frying foods that will be on the plate of a customer with allergies/intolerances. | 82.4 (28) | 14.7 (5) | 2.9 (1) |
| 6. Only kitchen staff should be aware of and exercise special care in their work practices when dealing with a customer with allergies/intolerances. | 14.7 (5) | 85.3 (29) | 0.00 (0) |
| 7. If there is any doubt about the presence of a particular allergen in the menu or food product, the employee should say that they do not know and advise the customer to make another choice. | 100.0 (34) | 0.00 (0) | 0.00 (0) |
| 8. The table designated for customers with allergies/intolerances should, whenever possible, be located away from the kitchen due to the potential inhalation of fumes. | 44.1 (15) | 44.1 (15) | 11.8 (4) |
| 9. The restaurant provides as much information as possible on its menu about the ingredients that make up each dish, as well as any allergens that may be present. Example: “Bacalhau à Zé do Pipo” (cod, mashed potatoes, mayonnaise) contains milk, gluten and egg. | 82.4 (28) | 17.6 (6) | 0.00 (0) |
| 10. The technical specifications contain all the ingredients present in the dish and are duly updated whenever there are changes. | 100.0 (34) | 0.00 (0) | 0.00 (0) |
| 11. Employees are informed whenever there are changes to the ingredients in any dish listed in the recipe cards. | 100.0 (34) | 0.00 (0) | 0.00 (0) |
| 12. In the absence of the Head Chef, the recipe cards are always available for consultation. | 100.0 (34) | 0.00 (0) | 0.00 (0) |