MasterChef viewers are calling on Channel 10 to switch things up next season and have a week filled with challenges centred around foods for people with certain allergies.
Every week on the reality show has a theme, such as Dessert Week, Viral Week, and Heat Week, and it showcases how to use certain ingredients to make food pop.
But with more than one million Aussies suffering from a food-related allergy, people are keen to see how the contestants can make a dish without vital ingredients like nuts, gluten, shellfish, or egg.
Channel 10 has responded to those demands, telling Yahoo Lifestyle that it is always looking for ways to freshen up the program with “creative ideas”.
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“We appreciate hearing what viewers would like to see,” a spokesperson said.
“While we can’t comment on future challenges or themes, ideas from our audience are always welcomed and considered as part of the creative process.
“We also recognise that dietary requirements and food allergies are an increasingly important part of modern cooking, and it’s great to see viewers engaging with the show in this way.”
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Why do MasterChef fans an Allergy Week next season?
The conversation around a possible Allergy Week started on social media, and was kickstarted by a viewer who had never missed a MasterChef season.
Battling several chronic inflammatory conditions, such as lactose and fructose intolerance, they wished the show reflected people like them.
“Chefs are increasingly required to cater for people with food allergies or intolerances, so being able to do this seems important, but would also test creativity within a specific requirement,” they said.
Australia has one of the highest allergy rates in the world, impacting 10 per cent of infants and 2 per cent of adults.
This doesn’t include autoimmune conditions such as coeliac disease, which impacts one in 70 Australians – including this Yahoo Lifestyle reporter.
Dining out can be a terrifying experience for those with allergies, as you never know if you’re going to end up sick or if the staff will take you seriously.
So, having it on a national platform such as MasterChef could be a massive educational tool for millions across the country.
“With more and more people with all different allergies, it would be awesome to have a segment on alternative foods,” another viewer wrote, echoing the original poster.
“Now that would be something,” said another.
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Dining and Cooking