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 the ice cream, bakery and candy food product samples 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 Munoz-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 Munoz-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, Munoz-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.
A review of food labels indicates an overuse of "may contain" statements, leaving food-allergic people to wonder whether food companies are really looking after their best interest, Munoz-Furlong says. (See "Living With Food Allergies: Not As Easy As You Might Think.")
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
by Raymond Formanek Jr.
FDA Consumer magazine
July-August 2001
