Allergen safety among Brazilian restaurant food business operators: guilt, rather than regret or shame, links cognitive responsibility to intentions

Consumers with food allergies and intolerances face significant risks when eating out, especially in countries lacking specific legislation on allergen communication. In such contexts, they depend heavily on the information and practices adopted by food business operators (FBOs). This study investigated key aspects of allergen management among FBOs, focusing on (i) knowledge and decision-making in situations involving allergic reactions; (ii) cognitive, moral, and emotional determinants influencing the management of allergenic foods; and (iii) potential allergen contamination in food preparation utensils used by establishments claiming to have implemented control measures. A representative sample of 310 FBOs from 19 cities across all five Brazilian regions participated in the survey. The questionnaire consisted of 11 knowledge questions and an extended version of the Norm Activation Model (NAM), including constructs of responsibility attribution, awareness of consequences, personal norms, and behavioural intentions towards allergen management. Environmental assessments were conducted using rapid tests for allergen residues on shared utensils from 10 selected establishments. Knowledge gaps were evident, particularly in distinguishing lactose intolerance from cow's milk allergy—only 28.0% answered correctly. The NAM analysis indicated that knowledge predicts awareness of consequences, which, together with responsibility attribution, shapes personal norms and behavioural intentions. Guilt emerged as a moral emotion mediating this relationship, further reinforcing the intention to prevent allergic incidents. In the environmental assessment, 88% of samples tested negative; however, four blenders showed contamination with egg or gluten. Despite positive intentions among participants, observed knowledge gaps and the limited scope of existing regulations suggest that standardised national legislation and evidence-based training programmes may be necessary to strengthen allergen safety in Brazilian foodservice.