A HEALTH club has partnered with an app to give peace of mind to diners with food allergies.

The Bannatyne Health group, which has five health clubs in the region including Darlington, has partnered with The Allergy Menu app.

The app which is compliant with the government regulation regarding specific allergens, is managed by an accredited qualified environmental health officer, providing an up-to-date mobile accessible cafe bar menu, allowing members and guests to tailor their personal food preferences and allergies, making it easy for them to see which dishes are suitable to them.

By selecting from a predefined list of allergens, intolerances and personal preferences -including gluten, dairy, nuts, eggs and 13 further options - the menu items available to the customer are then modified accordingly, so that only dishes suitable for them remain.

Fiona Dalton, food and beverage co-ordinator at The Bannatyne Group, said: “Many people limit the types of food they eat, whether they have an allergy or intolerance or for health or moral reasons. However, it’s become a difficult task to eat out, ensuring the food ordered is what you can eat. Some restaurants provide different menus, but simply don’t cater for complex requirements, such as they may provide a gluten free menu, but not a gluten free and dairy free menu combined.

“The simple to use app is a game-changer for customers, providing help to choose meals that fit in with their own personal needs. It also supports staff who can direct customers to the most comprehensive and up to date menu information."

Denise Din, group health and safety compliance manager at The Bannatyne Group, said: “We have a very comprehensive food safety management system which the Allergy Menu app complements. I’m proud that the Bannatyne Group is leading the way for big businesses in food safety and supporting customers to make informed choices from our menu.”

Juliet Moran of Allergy Menu, who designed the app, said: “This app allows restaurants to simply input their menu information and enables the consumer to filter that information through their allergies, or combination of allergies, or preferences. Veganism or vegetarianism options can also be highlighted. Many restaurant menus have matrix to denote certain ingredients, but these can be confusing and not always comprehensive or up to date.”