Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
individual
What campus are you from?
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Vanessa Armijo Chahin, Junior
Lead Presenter's Name
Vanessa Armijo Chahin
Faculty Mentor Name
Dr. Jennifer Hinebaugh
Abstract
Food allergies are increasing exponentially each year, as well as the number of flights. This means that every time we will have more cases of allergic passengers to address during flights and at airports. These passengers are struggling to fly in a safe environment and to being able to find food they can eat.
The purpose of this project is to raise awareness to all aviation stakeholders about the food allergies that may be provoked at airports and during flights and maintain the passenger experience. Due to different situations that may lead to death as the industry is not prepared, reason why they should be offering allergy friendly meals at least free from the top 5 allergens worldwide (wheat, nuts, soy, eggs, and dairy); medications for allergies should always be included in the first aid kit, no exceptions, encouraging aviation authorities to always check these kits to see that it is complete and medications are not expired; open a channel to declare allergies without the fear of discrimination so that the crew can communicate there is a passenger with a certain food allergen and prohibit the consumption of that food; develop and improve an allergy declaration system for airlines so that passengers can directly state their allergens and so Airline Catering Companies can plan to satisfy the passenger.
I had an important limitation while developing the research. I started to detect a structure while I was finding the information, for example when I was reading the cases of passengers having allergic reactions, I saw that they reported their allergen and then the food offered on board contained that allergen and provoked the reaction. Since allergies is a public health issue around the world and the situations were clear and kind of the same, leaded me to conclude in the process that there is no more to research and that it is time to take action.
Did this research project receive funding support from the Office of Undergraduate Research.
No
Allergies on board
Food allergies are increasing exponentially each year, as well as the number of flights. This means that every time we will have more cases of allergic passengers to address during flights and at airports. These passengers are struggling to fly in a safe environment and to being able to find food they can eat.
The purpose of this project is to raise awareness to all aviation stakeholders about the food allergies that may be provoked at airports and during flights and maintain the passenger experience. Due to different situations that may lead to death as the industry is not prepared, reason why they should be offering allergy friendly meals at least free from the top 5 allergens worldwide (wheat, nuts, soy, eggs, and dairy); medications for allergies should always be included in the first aid kit, no exceptions, encouraging aviation authorities to always check these kits to see that it is complete and medications are not expired; open a channel to declare allergies without the fear of discrimination so that the crew can communicate there is a passenger with a certain food allergen and prohibit the consumption of that food; develop and improve an allergy declaration system for airlines so that passengers can directly state their allergens and so Airline Catering Companies can plan to satisfy the passenger.
I had an important limitation while developing the research. I started to detect a structure while I was finding the information, for example when I was reading the cases of passengers having allergic reactions, I saw that they reported their allergen and then the food offered on board contained that allergen and provoked the reaction. Since allergies is a public health issue around the world and the situations were clear and kind of the same, leaded me to conclude in the process that there is no more to research and that it is time to take action.