Consumers with food allergies rely heavily on the food industry to provide truthful, clear information about allergens on product labels and signage so they can make safe purchasing decisions.
According to a post on FMI’s The Voice of the Industry blog, undeclared allergens on food labels have been the leading cause of food recalls in the United States for the past few years. In 2021, undeclared allergens accounted for 47 percent of FDA recalls and 24 percent of USDA recalls.
Since many of these recalls were due to labeling errors, the onus is on the food industry to verify the accuracy of allergen information on its food labels throughout the entire supply chain in order to protect the estimated 32 million people in the nation who live with food allergies.
An accurate label is not only critical for consumers with allergies, it’s the law. Under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004, packaged foods containing or derived from milk, egg, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, tree nuts, fish, crustacean, and shellfish are required to comply with federal labeling requirements. In 2021, the list went up to nine to include sesame.
Retailers, wholesalers, and product suppliers will need to update labels to declare sesame as a major allergen on all products containing it as an ingredient, effective January 1, 2023. Many companies are already voluntarily doing so. Full Story
Related: Food Allergen Labeling: What You Should Know; Sesame to Be Labeled as Allergen on Packaged Goods.