FOOD SAFETY

Food allergen cross-contact barriers

This bowtie maps allergen cross-contact from ingredients in a kitchen to potential customer harm. The top event is an allergen reaching a meal intended to be allergen-free. Supplier and labelling failures are separated from preparation-equipment failures because the controls are different. The recovery side includes withdrawing the meal, helping the customer and tracing the event. A kitchen team can use the diagram to discuss which controls are active for a specific menu and who verifies them. Add the actual allergens, recipes, equipment and local reporting requirements before use. This example supports discussion only and does not replace food-safety plans, allergen declarations or emergency medical advice.

UPDATED 2026-09-24
TYPEBowtie
EXAMPLEFood allergen cross-contact barriers
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CASE ANALYSIS

Scenario

Kitchen allergen-control review

Key decisions

  • Hazard: Identify allergenic ingredients.
  • Top event: Focus on the meal becoming contaminated.
  • Prevention: Separate supplier and kitchen controls.
  • Recovery: Include immediate care and traceability.

When to reuse this

Use for a food-service allergen-control discussion alongside required food-safety systems.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is allergen cross-contact?01
It is the unintended transfer of an allergen into food that should not contain it.
Why put cleaning on the left?02
Validated cleaning helps prevent shared equipment from contaminating a meal before service.
Can this cover packaged food?03
Yes. Packaging and label-verification threats can be adapted for a production setting.
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