Final answer:
Service staff can protect customers from allergens by practicing portion control, proper handling of foods, and being knowledgeable about ingredients to communicate effectively with customers about dietary restrictions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Service staff can prevent customers from receiving foods that contain allergens by implementing a series of precautions and best practices during food preparation. In the context of foodborne illness prevention, it is crucial to practice portion control to reduce the chances of contamination.
Being aware of serving sizes as per nutrition facts labels can help service staff in ensuring customers receive enough food without over-serving, which might lead to mix-ups or cross-contamination. Ensuring food is handled properly, especially items prone to causing allergic reactions like nuts and shellfish, is critical. Additionally, using separate utensils, cutting boards, and surfaces for allergen-containing foods can prevent cross-contamination. It is also important for service staff to be knowledgeable about the ingredients in each dish and to communicate effectively with customers about their dietary restrictions. Applying these techniques helps in providing safe dining experiences for customers with food allergies or intolerances.