Food hygiene and safety
Allergen Awareness Test for Front-of-House and Kitchen Staff
- Who it is for
- Servers, cooks, bartenders, baristas, managers and trainees
- When to run
- Before working unsupervised, then every six months and after menu changes
- Size
- 16 questions · ~12 min
- Pass mark
- 80%
| Name | Position | Date | Result |
For a guest with a food allergy, a staff mistake can end in intensive care. This test checks that front-of-house and kitchen staff understand what an allergen is, where it hides, how it gets into a dish through shared equipment and frying oil, how to pass information from the guest to the cook, and what to do if a guest has a severe reaction.
Each country has its own list of major allergens that must be declared on the menu — check it against your local regulations. Two questions are marked as critical: a mistake in either means the employee should not serve guests with allergies without a mentor.
What is an allergen
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1
How is a food allergy different from an ordinary "I don't like it" or "I don't eat it"? Choose one answerAnswer: c. With an allergy, the immune system reacts to a protein in the food, and in a sensitive person even traces — a crumb, a drop of sauce — can trigger a reaction. That is why "no nuts, I'm allergic" is handled more strictly than "no onion, I don't like it".
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2
If a guest says they have a "mild allergy", a small amount of the allergen in the dish is not dangerous. True or false?Answer: False. A reaction can be different every time: last time a rash, this time a swollen throat. Staff cannot judge the level of risk, so every allergy statement is taken equally seriously.
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3
Which foods are among the common food allergens in most countries? Select all correct answers. Choose all correct answersAnswer: a, b, c. Peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish, crustaceans, wheat (gluten), soy and some other foods are on the major allergen lists in many countries. The exact list that must be declared on the menu is set by your local regulations.
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4
Where can an allergen be present even though it is not in the dish name? Select all correct answers. Choose all correct answersAnswer: a, c, d. Allergens most often hide in sauces, dressings, marinades, breading and oils. That is why the ingredients are checked against the full recipe card, not the dish name.
Kitchen: cross-contact
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5
What is allergen cross-contact? Choose one answerAnswer: c. An allergen can get into a dish even if it is not in the recipe: from a board used to chop nuts, from a fryer used for shrimp, from a cook's gloves. This is how most "unexplained" reactions happen.
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6
A guest with a shellfish allergy orders French fries. Tempura shrimp is fried in the same fryer. What should you do? Choose one answer Critical questionAnswer: b. Shrimp protein passes into the oil and stays there until the oil is changed. If an allergen has been fried in a fryer, everything fried in it afterwards is considered unsafe for a guest with that allergy. Tell the guest honestly and help them choose a dish without this risk.
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7
An oat milk cappuccino for a guest with a milk allergy can be steamed in a pitcher that was just used for cow's milk: the hot steam destroys the allergen. True or false?Answer: False. Heat does not break down allergen proteins in milk, nuts or fish, so you cannot "cook off" or "steam off" an allergen. For a guest with an allergy, use a clean pitcher, purge the steam wand and wipe it with a separate clean cloth. The same rule applies in the kitchen: a hot pan is not safe after an allergen.
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8
How should a cook prepare a dish for a guest with an allergy? Select all correct answers. Choose all correct answersAnswer: b, c, d. A paper towel does not remove allergen protein from a surface. For an allergy order, use washed equipment and cookware and prepare it away from foods containing the allergen.
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9
The restaurant has changed its sauce supplier. What should be done first? Choose one answerAnswer: a. A sauce with the same name from another manufacturer may contain different allergens: mustard, soy, nuts, gluten. Ingredients are checked every time the supplier or recipe changes, and the information for front-of-house staff is updated immediately.
Front of house and passing on information
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10
A guest has told the server about an allergy. What is the right way to pass this on to the kitchen? Choose one answerAnswer: a. A note on the order is visible to everyone who cooks and plates the dish, and a verbal warning makes sure it is not missed. Write the allergy itself, for example "nut allergy", not just "no sauce": that way the cook knows cross-contact matters too.
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11
A guest asks: "Are you sure there are no peanuts?" The kitchen says peanuts are not in the recipe, but peanuts are used in the kitchen. What do you tell the guest? Choose one answerAnswer: b. A guest with an allergy must get honest information to assess the risk and decide whether to order the dish. Promising "definitely none" in a shared kitchen is untrue and can cost someone their health.
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12
It is better to carry a dish for a guest with an allergy separately and name it when serving: "Your salad without nuts". True or false?Answer: True. If the dish is carried separately and named when served, it will not be mixed up with another dish or placed in front of the wrong guest. The guest, in turn, knows their warning was heard.
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13
How should you label a prepared item that contains an allergen, such as a nut sauce? Choose one answerAnswer: b. A new employee or a cook from another shift may not know the sauce contains nuts. The allergen on the label and a closed container in a separate place reduce the risk of mistakes and cross-contact.
Allergic reaction
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14
Which signs indicate a severe allergic reaction? Select all correct answers. Choose all correct answersAnswer: a, c, d. Anaphylaxis develops within minutes and can affect breathing, skin and circulation. If these signs appear after eating, do not wait for things to get worse: act immediately.
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15
After eating, a guest's lips are swelling and they are finding it hard to breathe. What should you do? Choose one answer Critical questionAnswer: d. These are signs of anaphylaxis — every minute counts. Call an ambulance on your country's emergency number and call the manager. If the guest has an adrenaline (epinephrine) auto-injector, help them use it. If breathing is difficult, help the guest sit up; if they feel weak or dizzy, help them lie down. Do not leave the guest alone or take them outside.
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16
If the guest feels better after using the auto-injector, the ambulance can be cancelled. True or false?Answer: False. The effect of adrenaline is temporary, and the reaction can come back after a while. After an auto-injector has been used, the guest must be examined by medical professionals.
Your result
· Pass mark is 80%. Correct answers and explanations are shown below. A mistake in a critical question fails the test regardless of the score.
Use the test as a starting point and align answers with your standards and local regulations.
Answer key · Allergen Awareness Test for Front-of-House and Kitchen Staff
- c
- False
- a, b, c
- a, c, d
- c
- b
- False
- b, c, d
- a
- a
- b
- True
- b
- a, c, d
- d
- False
jeCheck · https://jecheck.io/en/templates/tests/allergen-awareness
Frequently asked questions
The test has 16 questions and takes about 12 minutes. The pass mark is 80%; a mistake in either of the two critical questions — the shared fryer and what to do in anaphylaxis — means the test is failed.
Each country has its own list of major allergens that must be declared on the menu. Add a question with your country's official list and questions about the ingredients of your own dishes.
Everyone who takes orders, prepares and serves food and drinks: servers, cooks, bartenders, baristas and managers. Repeat the test after menu or supplier changes.
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