By Havens, Chris
Publication: Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
Date: Thursday, August 27 2009
Byline: CHRIS HAVENS; STAFF WRITER
Byline: CHRIS HAVENS; STAFF WRITER
A proposal to require St. Paul restaurants and caterers to providefood allergen information to customers is going to simmer for a while. St. Paul City Council Member Melvin Carter III withdrew the proposed ordinance on Wednesday along with another that would discount license fees if certain conditions about allergy awareness were met. Restaurant owners and business groups in the city have reacted angrily tothe proposed ordinance.
Carter said he pulled the proposal to allow for some fine-tuning over the next several months with the help of business owners. But, hestill intends to bring something forward, though, to have some kind of policy that allows consumers to have access to credible allergen information, he said.
"We're having a useful conversation and I want to let that take its course," Carter said. "Ultimately, I want to make sure the ordinance I propose has really good feedback from restaurant owners."
The impetus for the proposed ordinance came from Carter's 3-year-old daughter, who has food allergies.
Under the proposed ordinance, those who hold restaurant or catering licenses would need to do several things, including:
- provide an allergen information handbook to any person upon request. The handbook would contain copies of all ingredient labels for food being served
- display an allergy awareness poster,
- notify consumers in menus, on menu boards or in a noticeable location that allergen information is available,
- make sure food managers and people in charge attend food allergen training at least once every three years.
Proposal finds enemies
Also proposed was an ordinance to give a discount on license fees to restaurant and catering license holders as long as they complete atraining program and have someone on duty at all times who has viewed a video provided by the city on food allergies.
Members of the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce opposed the draftproposal, said Liz Bogut, the organization's spokeswoman.
"The reality is it will create tremendous difficulties and expenses for restaurants and caterers to implement and will likely open themup to significant liability issues," Bogut said. The chamber will continue to work closely with Carter to express its concerns, she said.
An effort to ban trans fats and require calorie labeling in chain restaurants was going to be introduced last winter, but it also has been put on the back burner.
Hospitality Careers Training Center
2751 Hennepin Ave S #297
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 216-3987
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