Food Allergies
Millions of Americans suffer from food allergies and other types of food hypersensitivities, which occur when the body’s immune system reacts to certain proteins in food. Early detection and learning how to manage food allergies are critical to avoiding serious consequences. The FDA enforces regulations requiring companies to list ingredients on packaged foods and beverages.
Major Food Allergens
The Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act was signed into law on April 23, 2021, designating sesame as the US’s 9th major food allergen. This change will take effect on January 1, 2023.
Food Labels and Allergens
The law requires all retail and food-service establishments that package, label, and offer products for human consumption to identify the food source of all major food allergens used in the food, as well as advisory statements such as “produced in a facility that also uses [allergen].”
Other Allergens or Allergenic Substances
Food allergies are caused by more than 160 foods, and several food ingredients cause nonallergic hypersensitivity reactions. The FDA monitors the food supply to see if other allergens, food ingredients, or food additives pose a significant health risk.
Gluten
Gluten is a protein group found in certain grains (such as wheat, barley, and rye) that causes an immune response in people with celiac disease. In 2013, the FDA issued a final rule defining “gluten-free” for food labeling.
Color and Food Additives
Certain chemicals, such as carbon monoxide poisoning or asbestos exposure, can cause hypersensitivity reactions in some people.
Sesame
Effective January 1, 2023, sesame will be added as the 9th major food allergen, and manufacturers will no longer be required to list it as an ingredient in their products. The guidance is intended to help consumers who are allergic to sesame.
Guidance Documents and FDA Regulations
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides guidance to the food industry on a variety of topics, including allergens and other ingredients that may cause allergies or other food sensitivities, and many FDA guidance documents include information on allergens.
Monitoring
The FDA keeps track of reports of food allergic reactions as well as reports about ingredients and food hypersensitivities; among the major food allergens, milk is the most common cause of recalls due to undeclared allergens, and the FDA investigates each complaint to determine the best course of action.
Testing
The FDA uses enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) testing to detect allergens in foods and has developed a food allergen detection kit that can detect 16 allergens simultaneously.
Regulatory Action
When there is a problem that warrants a recall, the FDA can order recalls, import refusals, and seizures of misbranded or adulterated food products, as well as warning letters to facilities that produce such foods. When there is a problem that warrants a recall, firms typically recall such food products voluntarily.
What to Do If Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction Occur
Hives, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps are common symptoms of food allergies that appear minutes to hours after eating the food. Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that includes hives, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.
Reporting Adverse Reactions and Labeling Concerns
Keep any food packages because they may contain important information. If a product’s labeling is unclear or you believe it contains an allergen that isn’t labeled, please contact the FDA at 1-888-SAFEFOOD.
When did the food allergen labeling law go into effect?
The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), which went into effect on January 1, 2006, requires that nationally distributed packaged foods containing any of the “top eight” major food allergens (fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, milk, and eggs) be labeled in plain language (easily readable/understandable).
Does the FDA regulate gluten-free?
The FDA’s regulation established a federal definition of the term “gluten-free” for food manufacturers who voluntarily label FDA-regulated foods as “gluten-free.” The definition was intended to provide a reliable way for people with celiac disease to avoid gluten, and given the public health significance of gluten, it was also intended to provide a reliable way for people with celiac disease to avoid gluten.
When did FDA change food labeling?
In 2016, the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods was updated to reflect current scientific information, including information about the link between diet and chronic diseases like obesity and heart disease, making it easier for consumers to make better food choices.
Is gluten an allergen in USA?
Although there is no such thing as a gluten allergy, there is a condition known as Celiac Disease, which is a digestive disorder that can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated.
What is not one of the eight foods that cause up to 90% of all allergies?
Approximately 90% of food allergy reactions in the United States are caused by one of eight common foods known as “The Big 8”: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat, and soy.
What is the first item to notice on a food label?
The number of calories per serving is the first thing to look for on a label, and the FDA’s new Calories Count program aims to make calorie information on labels easier to find by placing it in larger, bolder type. Serving size and number of servings per container
What flour has no gluten?
Almond flour is made from ground, blanched almonds, which means the skin has been removed, and has a nutty flavor. It’s commonly used in baked goods and can be a grain-free alternative to breadcrumbs.
What products can we declare as gluten-free?
Any grain that does not contain gluten, such as wheat, rye, barley, or their crossbred hybrids, such as triticale, can be labeled “gluten-free” if it meets the definition, which includes the presence of any unavoidable gluten due to cross-contact situations being less than 20 ppm.
What products can you declare as gluten-free?
The claim ‘gluten-free’ will be allowed for products with less than 20 parts per million of gluten, while the claim’very low gluten’ will be allowed for products that use a cereal ingredient that has been treated to reduce gluten content (for example, codex wheat starch) and have gluten levels less than 100 parts per million.
Which vitamin is no longer required on food labels?
Vitamin D and potassium are now required on the label because Americans do not always get the recommended amounts, while vitamin A and C deficiencies are no longer common.
What foods don’t require nutrition labels?
Foods that are not required to be labeled:
- Raw fruits.
- Vegetables.
- Fish.
- Dietary Supplements (regulated under 101.36)
- Certain egg cartons.
- Infant Formula and foods for children up to the age of four years (modified requirements apply)
Is nutritional information a legal requirement?
Since December 2016, the majority of pre-packaged foods have been required to display a nutrition declaration for the product, also known as back of pack nutrition labeling.
What are the 14 allergenic substances?
Celery, gluten-containing cereals (such as barley and oats), crustaceans (such as prawns, crabs, and lobsters), eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs (such as mussels and oysters), mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide, and sulphites (at a concentration of more than ten parts per million) are among the 14 allergens.
What does gluten rash look like?
Gluten rash is a chronic, autoimmune skin condition that affects people with celiac disease who are gluten intolerant. Symptoms include a red rash, raised skin lesions/blisters, sores that resemble hives, and lesions that appear in clusters.
How do I know if I’m allergic to gluten?
Constipation, fatigue, headaches, and nausea are some of the symptoms of gluten intolerance, and those who have it say that diarrhea and constipation are a common symptom.