Food Allergies: Food Labeling, Part 2

by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

(Page 4 of 4)

Labeling Policy

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires, in virtually all cases, that all the ingredients of a food be listed on the food label. Two exemptions to the labeling requirements recently have been involved in a number of reported food allergen reactions: the collective naming of spices, flavorings, and colorings; and insignificant levels of additives in a food that do not have a technical or functional effect on the final product. The FDA, however, does not consider food allergens eligible for the latter labeling exemption. The agency also strongly encourages the declaration of an allergenic ingredient in a spice, flavor, or color.

"While the FDA believes that food processors make a sincere effort to label the ingredients in their food products completely, it's clear from data on food recalls that firms do miss including some allergenic ingredients on their food labels," says Falci.

Gaps in Allergen Labeling

Between September 1999 and March 2000, FDA researchers working with state inspectors from Wisconsin and Minnesota inspected 85 bakery product, ice cream and candy manufacturers for allergen labeling and cross-contamination issues, with a focus on peanut and egg allergens. Many of the firms in the study were small- to medium-sized operations. The joint study was prompted, in part, by a jump in the number of national recalls due to allergy-related ingredients not being listed on labels.

Samples were collected for egg and peanut protein analysis only when labeling or cross-contamination issues were identified by the investigator. Eighteen of the 73 samples (25 percent) of ice cream, bakery and candy food products tested positive for peanut allergens, although peanuts were not listed on product labels. Investigators also found that companies unintentionally introduced food allergens into other foods through poor cleaning and cooking schedules or improper cleaning of utensils.

"These findings show that more work is needed," Falci says.

The inspectors also found that just over half of the manufacturers checked their products to ensure that the labels accurately reflected all of the ingredients.

"We certainly have legal authority at the moment to allow for recalls of undeclared allergens, and recalls are occurring for that reason," Falci says. "We're only in the beginning stages of negotiating and talking with the food industry about some things we'd like to potentially see on the label. However, the industry is beginning to take voluntary actions, which we applaud."

Consumer Involvement

The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), based in Fairfax, Va., has been an advocate for simple, clear and accurate food labels for a decade. "Reading food labels is the only way that food-allergic consumers can avoid dangerous allergens in packaged food," says Anne Muñoz-Furlong, FAAN founder and president. "If food manufacturers don't follow good manufacturing practices and carefully control that what is in the package matches what is on the label, we are all in big trouble."

According to Muñoz-Furlong, many large food companies have long been aware of how serious food allergies can be, and have made appropriate changes in their manufacturing and labeling practices. There are still many more companies that have yet to take the issue seriously.

For example, Muñoz-Furlong says that today there are more than a dozen ways to indicate the presence of milk protein without using the word "milk." Another common problem is the term "nondairy." Many consumers mistakenly believe that nondairy means there is no milk in a product. Current labeling guidelines allow the use of "nondairy" when the foods contain milk byproducts.

In addition, manufacturers may use the term "natural flavors" even when the product contains major allergens. To avoid a major allergen, a food-allergic consumer would need to call the manufacturer before purchasing the product to confirm that an allergen was present.

Common Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction to Food

• Symptoms typically appear within minutes to two hours after a person has eaten the food to which he or she is allergic.
• Tingling sensation in the mouth
• Swelling of the tongue and throat
• Difficulty breathing
• Hives
• Vomiting
• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea
• Drop in blood pressure
• Loss of consciousness, and death.

About the Author

www.fda.gov
FDA is A United States government body that oversees medical devices, including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, excimer lasers and eyedrops. In the US, these products must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed.