Maryland Considers Regulations Emphasizing Allergy Awareness

Maryland has gotten a little more focused on keeping restaurant customers with food allergies safe. A bill now pending approval in the state senate mandates that all commercial kitchens have allergy awareness training, and that foodservice operations must always have one employee on-premise who has completed a food allergen awareness training course and passed a state-administered test, and can discuss menu options with customers.

Under S 409, every operator also would be required to ask that customers inform the staff of any food allergies. Operators could opt for a clearly written request on either a menu or a board, or the server could ask guests about any possible allergies.

Last year, Maryland’s governor signed an initiative requiring that Maryland’s foodservice operations display a poster relating to food allergy awareness that includes information regarding the risk of an allergic reaction.