Food allergies can be life-threatening conditions that affect millions of Americans. Learn about some of the main allergens (peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, wheat tree nuts fish and shellfish) through these fact sheets.
The Food Allergen Labelling Code mandates that foods regulated by the FDA include an allergen disclosure statement as part of their labels, along with mandatory advisory statements and declarations.
The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA)
FALCPA mandates that manufacturers label major allergens in their products. This includes celery, cereals containing gluten (like wheat, barley, rye and oats) crustacean shellfish such as lobster shrimp crab etc; eggs; fish; milk; lupin; peanuts sesame seeds soybeans tree nuts such as almonds hazelnuts pecan walnuts brazil nuts plus any excess sulphur dioxide and sulphites (if more than 10 parts per million present); plus any excess amounts of sulphur dioxide or sulphites that are present (if more than 10 parts per million present).
Law requires that major food allergens must appear in an ingredient list alongside their source in parentheses or after “contains.” A manufacturer could, for instance, list “Contains: lecithin (derived from soy)” as opposed to simply saying “contains soy.” To simplify identification for consumers, the FDA advises manufacturers opting for the first option as this will make identifying foods containing allergens easier.
The law stipulates that manufacturers must disclose whether any major food allergen is added during production; manufacturers can petition or notify for exemption when an allergen serves as a processing aid; however, this law does not alter existing legislation such as Federal Meat Inspection Act, Poultry Products Inspection Act or Egg Products Inspection Act but allows voluntary disclosure of an allergen advisory statement by restaurants or food establishments.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), oversees the creation, testing and approval of pharmaceutical drugs, medical devices, veterinary products, food and dietary supplements as well as their implementation by complying with regulations related to safety, efficacy and security of these products. Furthermore, the FDA promotes scientific innovation as well as provides accurate health information to consumers.
Food allergies and intolerances are an increasingly pressing problem for Americans, which is why the Food and Drug Administration has issued several fact sheets designed to assist food businesses comply with new allergen labeling requirements. These fact sheets include an overview of these standards as well as guidelines and tips for identifying allergens as well as handling and preparing allergenic food safely, among other essential information.
Since 1848, when they began monitoring agricultural product safety for consumers, the FDA has been actively safeguarding consumer health. After Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906 which banned mislabeled food or medicine from interstate commerce, the agency became known as the Food and Drug Administration and later known by that name in 1930. Today they operate offices in all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico, Guam American Samoa and Virgin Islands with each district office having both a main office as well as several “Resident Posts”, or remote offices that cover specific geographical areas.
The Windsor Framework
The Windsor Framework is a joint solution designed to address the pressing concerns of Northern Irish traders and citizens. This agreement seeks to preserve the integrity of the Single Economic Market (SEM), while creating important new economic opportunities. The UK government has promised that it will act in good faith when fulfilling these arrangements and protecting EU internal market standards.
This agreement creates new simplified arrangements for goods movement between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This will enable traders to transport goods into NI without going through customs processes or duties; additionally, certification processes will no longer need to be complex – which will benefit manufacturers and suppliers of food products alike.
Additionally, the Windsor Framework will ensure Northern Ireland stays compliant with EU food safety and medicine rules to safeguard supply chains for these vital sectors. Furthermore, parallel import licenses will enable companies to import medicines authorised in another EU country into Northern Ireland.
The Windsor Framework contains a mechanism for democratic consent that will be used to approve new laws or replace existing ones, an important step towards breaking down past barriers. For this framework to work effectively, there needs to be majority support among MLAs – this will be determined during a series of “applicability motions”, scheduled over the coming year.
The Food and Drink Federation
The Food and Drink Federation is the national voice for UK’s food industry. As its largest manufacturing sector, employing over 430,000 workers through 7400 businesses, its membership consists of all sizes of food producers as well as trade associations that focus on specific parts of it.
Allergens can lead to a range of symptoms, from digestive upset and skin conditions, respiratory difficulties and behavioral changes to hospitalisation. Allergies also may trigger intolerances – non-immune responses triggered by certain foods like raw fruits and vegetables, dairy products, fish or legumes that do not involve an immune response – in some people.
Food shopping requires thorough ingredient checks, with special care taken to read labels on repackaged goods such as frozen and canned items to identify hidden allergens. Repackaged milk-containing items may not list “milk” directly but instead have ingredients such as water, vegetable oils (rapeseed and palm), salt, an emulsifier (mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids), stabiliser (potassium sorbate) as well as stabilizers, stabilisers (potassium sorbate) plus colour additives in their ingredients list.
The Food and Drink Federation has created two sets of fact sheets to assist people managing food allergies. One set is targeted toward Adult Day Care providers and covers nine major allergens; another caters specifically for Child Care Center program operators by including information on all allergens – including sesame.
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