Written by: Amy Cornforth

Posted on: 02/04/21

Easter Allergens: How Natasha’s Law will Improve the Holiday

Easter Sunday is almost upon us, meaning that the season of chocolate, bunnies, and all-things egg-shaped is just on the horizon. The prospect of sweets, sunshine, and enjoying the partial relaxation of restrictions is enough to make anyone look forward to the holiday.

 

One of the greatest parts of Easter could easily be the delicious array of seasonal food on offer, the types of food you can only have this time of year, like Easter-themed biscuits or cakes you can find in your local bakery. Unfortunately, this also means that Easter could be aptly renamed the ‘allergen holiday,’ as those with allergies, particularly surrounding nuts, and dairy, are even more likely to encounter dangerous products on a regular basis.

This can dampen the joy of the holiday somewhat, particularly if the companies cannot offer full transparency regarding product ingredients. However, by this time next year, this will be less of a concern for those with allergies, due to the introduction of Natasha’s Law.

Natasha’s Law is an allergen law that will come into effect this October. It states that all foods which are prepared and packed on the same premises from which they are sold must include a list of ingredients, with any potential allergens clearly stated on the product label. This is to ensure that there is enough transparency to prevent the number of accidental anaphylaxis deaths due to a lack of clarity.

As a result, any easter themed products, such as hot crossed buns or Easter cakes from bakeries, that are pre-packaged for direct sale on-site will need to include a full list of ingredients, so any customers with allergies can ensure they are choosing products that won’t induce an anaphylactic shock and can eat it with confidence in their own safety.

This means that not only will the law provide more security and reassurance for those suffering from allergies, but it also means that businesses may need to make changes to their processes, such as, ensuring the central repository of product ingredients and information are constantly up-to-date, with less risk of errors that could find their way onto product labels.

Trade Interchange’s ARCUS® Product Information Management (PIM) can provide a central repository for all your product information, entered directly by suppliers to reduce risk regarding re-keying errors and ensuring all your data regarding allergens is complete, up-to-date, and constantly ready to communicate.

Using ARCUS® Connect, the native API, ARCUS® PIM can integrate with ERP and recipe management systems. For example, the integration with Fourth’s Recipe & Menu Engineering solution allows for the transfer of critical allergen, nutrition, packaging, and pricing information using a single source of data.

If you are interested in ARCUS® PIM, then you can find out more here, or contact us at Trade Interchange, and we’d be happy to answer any questions you might have.

 

 

 

 

 

PIM Factsheet

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PIM Case Study

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