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New Food Allergen Labeling Act Will Make Shopping Easier For Food Allergy Sufferers
Posted: Feb 2, 2005
(KNOXVILLE, Tenn.) - For millions of Americans who suffer from food
allergies, the new Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act is
long overdue. For Susan Roberts, whose son suffers from Celiac Disease, the new
law will make things a lot easier for her family and eating less
life-threatening for her son.
The bill, passed by the House of Representatives last year, will take effect
January 1 next year and will require food manufacturers to clearly identify
eight major food allergens on food packages, according to
David Golden,
researcher with the University of Tennessee
Food Safety Center of Excellence.
"For the millions of Americans who suffer from food allergies, ingesting or
coming into contact with certain foods can be critical. These individuals have
found it challenging to accurately identify ingredients on food labels because
actual ingredients may be disguised or identified by either their chemical or
common names," Golden says.
The eight major food allergens to be listed if contained in foods are: milk,
eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, etc), wheat, peanuts
and soybeans.
This challenge of identifying food ingredients for her son is all too real for
Roberts.
"When I made my first grocery trip after my son was diagnosed with Celiac
Disease, I spent three hours roaming the aisles and calling toll-free numbers on
my cell phone, trying to find food that was safe for him to eat," she says.
"Finding out what was in a product shouldn’t have to be that hard." Roberts
says.
Celiac Disease is characterized by intolerance to gluten, a protein found in
wheat, barley and rye. Untreated, it causes a host of problems, including
osteoporosis, malnutrition and even lymphoma. Roberts considers her son
fortunate, however, because the disease is treatable by diet. She adds that her
son also is allergic to peanuts, but food manufacturers are pretty good about
labeling peanuts, Roberts says.
Food Allergen Law
The way the new food allergen labeling law is written, according to Golden, the
allergens will need to be listed in one of three ways:
1. On the ingredient list. For example: "Peanuts" with other ingredients.
2. By using the word "Contains" followed by the name of the major food allergen,
printed at the end of the ingredient list or next to it. For example: "Contains
Peanuts".
3. By using a parenthetical statement to clarify technical ingredient terms. For
example: "Natural Flavorings (Peanuts)".
The new law also requires that the food source be presented along with the
ingredient already listed, Golden says.
"For example, casein is a common food and drink additive derived from milk. If
casein is used in a food, ‘casein’ still would need to be identified on the
label. Additionally, ‘milk’ will have to be labeled so people with milk
allergies will clearly see the presence of that allergen," he says.
According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, some 150
Americans die annually from food-induced anaphylaxis, a potentially fatal,
systemic allergic reaction. Peanut and tree nut allergies cause the most severe
food-induced allergic reactions.
The University of Tennessee Food Safety Center of Excellence develops and
evaluates strategies for destroying or controlling food-borne pathogens and
reducing their occurrence on the farm, in food distribution and retail centers,
and, ultimately, in the home. The Center’s multi-disciplinary team of
researchers includes scientists with expertise in microbiology, food science,
animal and plant production, infectious diseases risk assessment, food service
management, and other areas. The University of Tennessee Food Safety Center of
Excellence has been recognized with grants from USDA, the Army, and other
federal and private agencies for its cutting-edge efforts to develop and
evaluate strategies to destroy or control food-borne pathogens.
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Contact:
David Golden, (865) 974-7247;
Linda Cabage, (865) 974-7364
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