The established and fast-growing restaurant industry in Bangladesh creates huge employment opportunities; is estimated to be worth approximately BDT 4500 crores contributing 2.1 per cent of the country’s GDP in a recent report. According to industry experts, there are over 50,000 restaurants nationally which employ around 1.5 million people.
An allergy is a damaging immune response by the body to a substance (known as an allergen) it has become hypersensitive. Today we will be focusing on food allergens that are commonly found in restaurants and other food vending settings. Common food allergens include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts and fish. Allergies are very common in Bangladesh: they’re thought to affect about 1 in 4 people at some point in their lives. Allergies can often develop in adults, whilst children can outgrow allergies and some allergies do last for a lifetime.
Why is it so important to be aware of allergies?
Allergies are potentially life-threatening, but even in less dire situations, the entire list of potential symptoms is still rather unpleasant and often needs immediate urgent medical attention. The most serious reaction possible is anaphylactic shock, indicators of this are also associated with other less serious ailments: fainting, finding it hard to breathe, having a fast heartbeat and feeling anxious. Other disrupting symptoms include rash or hives, itchiness, watery/red eyes, hay fever and runny nose. With such a large proportion of the population being allergic to at least one substance, can we really ignore allergies and their life-changing consequences?
What can we do to improve the situation?
There’s a lot we need to do, both restaurant management and consumers can take action. From a consumer point of view, awareness is important as well as diagnosis of allergies. Many people, especially in Bangladesh, do not have access to proper medical facilities or get misdiagnosed with allergies. One of the most important steps in managing this problem is education, consumers need to know how dangerous allergies and when combined with proper facilities it could reduce fatalities and other consequences. From producers, in food establishments and in restaurants to other settings, cross-contamination and lack of education is a massive problems. Cross-contamination is caused by a lack of effective regulation for restaurants and a lack of training, minimum infrastructures and education for workers which ideally should be provided by the employer.
If all of these challenges can be successfully tackled then we can reduce the damaging widespread effect and disruption caused to the lives of people on a daily basis.
