Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate Food Allergens 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does PPDS stand for in the context of allergen labelling?
- Pre-Prepared and Distributed Sale
- Pre-Packed for Direct Sale (Correct answer)
- Packaged Product Distributed by Suppliers
- Processed and Packaged for Delivery Service
Correct answer: Pre-Packed for Direct Sale
PPDS stands for Pre-Packed for Direct Sale, referring to food packed on the same premises where it is sold directly to the consumer.
Question 2: How should allergens be highlighted on a food label's ingredient list?
- Written in red text only
- Listed separately after all other ingredients
- Emphasised using bold, italic, or contrasting colour (Correct answer)
- Placed in brackets after the product name
Correct answer: Emphasised using bold, italic, or contrasting colour
UK regulations require allergens to be emphasised in the ingredients list using a different font, style, or background colour such as bold text.
Question 3: Cross-contact in relation to allergens refers to:
- A customer touching food without gloves
- The unintentional transfer of an allergen from one food or surface to another (Correct answer)
- Staff crossing between different food preparation areas
- Mixing allergen-free products with regular products during delivery
Correct answer: The unintentional transfer of an allergen from one food or surface to another
Cross-contact occurs when allergen proteins are inadvertently transferred between foods or from surfaces, potentially causing a reaction.
Question 4: When a new menu item is introduced, what allergen-related action must the food business take?
- Display a general "may contain" warning for all items
- Update allergen information to reflect any allergens in the new dish (Correct answer)
- Only inform regular customers of ingredient changes
- Wait until the next scheduled allergen review
Correct answer: Update allergen information to reflect any allergens in the new dish
Allergen information must be kept accurate and up to date, so any new menu item requires allergen records to be reviewed and updated immediately.
Question 5: Which piece of UK legislation primarily governs allergen labelling requirements for pre-packed foods?
- The Food Safety Act 1990
- The Food Hygiene Regulations 2006
- The Food Information Regulations 2014 (Correct answer)
- The Consumer Protection Act 1987
Correct answer: The Food Information Regulations 2014
The Food Information Regulations 2014 implement retained EU Regulation 1169/2011 and set out allergen labelling requirements for pre-packed foods in the UK.
Question 6: A food business uses separate utensils and preparation areas for allergen-free meals. This practice primarily prevents:
- Food spoilage
- Bacterial cross-contamination
- Allergen cross-contact (Correct answer)
- Temperature abuse
Correct answer: Allergen cross-contact
Using separate utensils and preparation areas prevents allergen cross-contact, the unintentional transfer of allergens between foods.
Question 7: Staff training on allergens in a food business should be:
- Provided only to chefs and kitchen staff
- Given once when staff are first employed
- Relevant to each staff member's role and updated regularly (Correct answer)
- Only required for businesses serving more than 50 covers per day
Correct answer: Relevant to each staff member's role and updated regularly
All food handlers whose role involves allergen risk must receive appropriate training relevant to their duties, refreshed as needed.
Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate Food Allergens 2
What does PPDS stand for in the context of allergen labelling?