The recent federal law requiring sesame to be listed as an allergen on food labels has caused food producers to put the ingredient in more products, reports CBS News. The law itself will go into effect January 1, 2023, but makers have already begun to implement measures.
Experts in the food industry note that the sesame-free requirements are so strict, that many add the ingredient to the product because it is more simple and less expensive.
This practice extends to large restaurant chains like Olive Garden, Wendy’s, and Chick-fil-A, as well as smaller establishments and brands. Olive Garden, for example, stated that it will be adding sesame flour to its breadsticks due to the "potential for cross-contamination at the bakery."
"It was really exciting as a policy advocate and a mom to get these labels," Naomi Seiler, a consultant with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America whose 9-year-old daughter, Zoe, is allergic to sesame, told the news source. "Instead, companies are intentionally adding the allergen to food."
The FDA does not support these actions, stating in a statement that, "It would make it more difficult for sesame-allergic customers to find foods that are safe for them to consume." Full Story
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