Apetito welcomes launch of allergen code for schools following death of 5-year-old boy
In the wake of the death of five-year-old Benedict Blythe, who was allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, sesame and chickpeas at school, his mother Helen feared that many other children could face the same fate.
The Benedict Blythe Foundation has partnered with The Allergy Team and ISBA to launch the Schools Allergy Code, which aims to help protect children from life-threatening reactions.
The code sets out a number of steps that schools can take to keep pupils safe, including allergy awareness training for teachers, dedicated lessons and assemblies on allergies. It also highlights the need for schools to have comprehensive allergy and anaphylaxis policies in place, as well as individual plans for children with allergies.
Rupert Weber, head of education at Apetito, said: "We take immense pride in our unwavering dedication to offering meals for children that cater to a wide range of dietary requirements including the known 14 allergens. The Benedict Blythe Foundation, The Allergy Team and ISBA have created a wonderful and really important resource to help ensure schools are allergy aware.
“It is vital that schools recognise the significant challenges and risks posed to children with food allergies. Each batch of our free-from meals are thoroughly tested to ensure they are free-from the 14 regulated allergens, so schools can serve a wide range of delicious and safe meals they can completely trust and children with allergies can enjoy similar meals to their peers.
“Our approach to meal preparation is meticulous, from the careful sourcing of ingredients to the final stages of meal production. Our accredited laboratories and strict procedures make Apetito food one of the safest catering options and ensure that children with food allergies can enjoy meals at lunchtimes without having to compromise on flavour, variety and most importantly, safety.
“We believe every child at school should be able to enjoy meals at school, without fear and take every allergy seriously, so our values are deeply aligned with the new Schools Allergy Code’s principles of good practice.”