Many school canteens rely on volunteer workers to accurately provide the right food to students with severe allergies or intolerances.

A national EpiPen 300mcg shortage is expected to be resolved by March 2, but Tasmanian pharmacists have described that projected resolution as “optimistic”: the EpiPen Junior 150mcg is not out of stock.

EpiPens are the key emergency response to anaphylactic shock, with the Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) recommending people with severe food allergies always carry their prescribed EpiPens.

An education department spokesman said a number of schools hold EpiPens for general use but it’s not mandatory for schools to keep them.

“For students who can self-inject, medical practitioners will often prescribe two pens - one for the student to carry at all times, and one for the school first aid bag,” he said.

Tasmanian School Canteen Association (TSCA) executive officer Julie Dunbabin said many schools would have a canteen manager, but rely upon volunteer parents and carers to run the canteen.

“It does boil down to a particular school’s situation, so there’s not a blanket ban on certain types of food,” she said.

“What we encourage is that canteen managers work effectively with school administration to know which students have allergies.

“In the canteen and the prep area there would be pictures of children with allergies, so the canteen manager would be aware [of their allergies].”

She said much of the response to severe food allergies involved school leaders working with parents and the school community to be aware of children with allergies, and teaching children to be responsible for their food.

TSCA also provides posters for schools that identify foods capable of triggering an allergic reaction.