Food allergy awareness champions: Improving food safety standards in online food procurement for people with food hypersensitivities

Abstract

Food allergies and intolerances are increasingly common in the UK, and 4% of population may be affected (FSA, 2023). These conditions range from mild to severe and can have a significant impact on a person's quality of life. Procurement of ready prepared meals, such as takeaways, is challenging for those with food hypersensitivity (FHS), with many opting to reduce the risk by avoiding them entirely when possible. How ready prepared meals are purchased has also changed, with the rise of online food delivery platforms, whose use during the global pandemic increased, particularly among younger consumers. There is uncertainty about the degree to which businesses who sell ready prepared meals operate and meet the needs of people with food hypersensitivity, whilst still meeting regulatory labelling requirements to provide information at the point of selection and when the food is collected or delivered. It is also unknown if information provided meets the needs of the food hypersensitivity community with regards to safety. This project aimed to improve understanding of the safety, efficacy, practices, and behaviours of FHS consumers when buying ready to eat food online. Both takeaway and delivered food were examined from the perspective of people with food hypersensitivities using a citizen science methodology. Citizen science is an increasingly popular and impactful methodology endorsed by the European Commission for Research, Science and Innovation that can offer large amounts of data that are geographically diverse.