Sesame Allergies in Restaurants

When it comes to the top allergies listed with the FDA, sesame is another food allergy to watch out for. From oil to sesame seeds, this allergen can be found in a variety of dishes. Food allergies and food safety should be a top priority for any restaurant, so having your kitchen aware and prepared for this allergy is a key part. Below we’ll help you handle sesame allergies in restaurants, so everyone can have a safe and enjoyable dining experience. 

Common Sesame Ingredients and Foods

Sesame oil and seeds are the culprits that are a risk for those with an allergy. Sesame oil specifically is widely used for cooking and flavoring in many Chinese, Korean and Japanese dishes, so always check to see if any food is cooked in this oil or mixed in. Sesame seeds are also often used as a garnish for many different foods. 

• Sesame seeds on buns, bagels, bread


• Hummus


• Baba ganoush


• Salad dressings with sesame oil base


• Snack seaweed cooked in sesame oil


• Teriyaki sauces


• Hoisin sauces


• Sushi rolls


• Crackers


• Artisan chocolates and candies

Food Allergy Safety Tips

Preventing cross-contamination is essential for handling sesame allergies in restaurants and ensuring that safety is maintained. Make sure you are following best practices and implementing the following to help keep everyone safe:

• Proper labeling – Having all food storage properly labeled and any scoops or utensils labeled for use with specific ingredients is an essential part of food safety. This helps to minimize the risk of cross-contamination.


• Safety protocol – Make sure all staff are trained and prepared on what to do during an allergy emergency. Remind them the importance of maintaining safety protocols and tips, like keeping utensils separate and how often they should be washing and sanitizing. Staying up to date and on top of various safety procedures is essential. 


• Hand washing – The foundation of food safety in commercial kitchens, frequent hand washing is a great way to prevent cross-contamination. Keep washing stations accessible and remind all staff that it’s very important for everyone’s safety. 


• Separate allergy station – A separate cooking and food prep station that is meant to handle dishes marked for an allergy can make a huge impact. These stations should be cleaned and sanitized before and after each dish. 


• Separated ingredients – Just like easy to read labels, having all ingredients separated and sealed will help prevent cross-contamination. Make sure any scoops or utensils you use for one ingredient aren’t used for a different ingredient. Separate containers and utensils can make a huge difference in food allergy safety.

High-Risk Equipment

Keeping commercial kitchens safe from cross-contamination can be confusing and daunting. Learning what equipment poses serious risk can be the stepping stone to kitchen safety. Make sure when you are cleaning and sanitizing you double check these units:

• Toasters – Toasters are a countertop appliance to watch out for when handling cross-contamination. Any buns, bread or toast that has been garnished with sesame seeds or baked with sesame oil can leave behind a trace amount. This can pose a serious risk. 


• Conveyor ovens – Just like toasters, any bread or buns that have sesame seeds on them can leave crumbs and seeds behind. If any food or dish touches the conveyor they could pose a potential risk. 


• Cooking utensils – Don’t forget about utensils when it comes to cleaning and sanitizing. Any stir fry utensil that is used to cook with sesame oil can be a potential contamination, so make sure all utensils are properly cleaned before and after cooking. 


• Food storage – Don’t forget the storage section when checking on high-risk units for cross-contamination. If food bins are cleaned out after emptying, any sesame seeds that were stored could still be stuck in the and contaminate the next ingredients. 


• Grills and griddles – Large equipment like grills and griddles are high-risk equipment that could be the source of any cross-contamination in the kitchen. Oil and food debris can be left behind and get stuck on the grill surface. Keeping these units cleaned frequently helps to reduce the risk. 


• Mixers and food processors – Don’t forget about the food prep equipment when you are trying to minimize cross-contamination risks. Any doughs, pastes, dressings or sauces that have sesame oil and seeds could leave behind traces if not cleaned and sanitized carefully. 

Symptoms of a Food Allergy

How can you stay aware and prepared when someone is having an allergy attack? By knowing the signs and symptoms and being watchful. The FDA lists some symptoms to look for:

• Hives or red splotches on the face


• Flushed skin or rash


• Face, tongue, or lip swelling


• Vomiting


• Abdominal cramping


• Coughing or wheezing


• Dizziness and/or lightheadedness


• Throat swelling


• Difficulty breathing


• Loss of consciousness

Take Action

Knowledge is power, but now it’s time to take action during an emergency. Stay calm, alert management and follow your restaurant’s plan of action when it comes to an allergy attack. All kitchen and serving staff need training and certification, but having them also aware of ingredient lists is a key part of food safety. 

If you need more help tackling food safety and allergies in commercial kitchens, check out our guide on maintaining food safety in a commercial kitchen.