Sharon Charlie Neilens

WORK HISTORY

ABOUT SHARON CHARLIE NEILENS

Over the last 5 years, it has been my passion for raising awareness of food allergies, intolerances and dietary preferences across the food and retail industry but particularly within the gluten free section. Living with several life threatening allergies, it is my mission to take the fear out of allergen management and for any hospitality sector attract and serve a large section of the population that is poorly served, with safe and tasty food. I have many years of knowledge, skills and experience within the retail and hospitality industry working with some of the UK’s independent cafes, restaurants, pubs and large UK supermarket groups such as Asda and Morrisons. During the past 2 years I have focussed on how to reduce risk in terms of liability, and how it can be commercially viable through inclusivity of people with allergies, intolerances or dietary preferences by integration into the daily routines within any aspect of food, catering and hospitality. Implement an effective food allergen management program. Train all staff in food allergen risks, management and communication. Provide clear, up-to-date and accurate information on the food allergen status of the foods you provide When consumers disclose their food allergy, the food service industry has a responsibility to help the customer with appropriate food menu choices by providing information about food allergens that may be present directly and/or indirectly in food menu items.It has been my privilege to have served customers with complex allergies such as Mast Cell Activation Syndrome; Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES); Anthocyanins and Wheat-Dependent Exercise-Induced Anaphylaxis (WDEIA) and fellow coeliacs, milk free, egg free, nut free. The list is never ending and as diagnostic testing gets more sophisticated, the number of people with allergies is growing. A staggering 44% of British adults now suffer from at least one allergy and the number of sufferers is on the rise, growing by around 2 million between 2008 and 2009 alone. Almost half (48%) of sufferers have more than one allergy – that is around 10 million people (Foods Matter, 2010)Can your business afford to leave that amount of money on the table? I can help you serve more customers safely. I am just a click away ‍