Over 30 million Americans suffer from a food allergy with responses varying from mild tingling and swollen lips or hives to severe, life-threatening symptoms, often called anaphylaxis, that may involve fatal respiratory problems and shock. Some of us end up with an uncomfortable digestive response to eating certain foods. Other foods may cause bladder irritation or headaches.
The eight main allergens, wheat, milk, egg, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, and fish, in the US are required to be listed on the food label. It is enough? Health Canada considers eleven food allergens. As well as the FDA’s eight, sesame, mustard, and sulfites are included as allergens which are a health priority.
Perhaps it is time for the FDA to reexamine their allergen priorities? A helpful sign is a recent draft guidance for industry on the voluntary disclosure of sesame as an allergen ingredient. In this draft guidance, manufacturers are encouraged to list sesame in the ingredient list in parenthesis after the ingredient if it isn’t obvious that it contains sesame. For example, spices (including sesame), flavor (sesame) tahini (sesame). This will help consumers who suffer from an allergy to sesame to identify which foods they should avoid.
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