FDA Reviews Food Labeling for Allergies

The Food and Drug Administration is calling on the food industry and other interested parties to have their say on the use of advisory labeling of allergens in food in a public hearing.

FDA said it has looked at the current situation and found that the use of advisory label statements is not uniform in the U.S., particularly when it comes to the risk of cross-contamination during food production.

Now it is developing a long-term strategy to assist manufacturers in using allergen advisory labeling that is “truthful and not misleading, conveys a clear and uniform message, and adequately informs food-allergic consumers and their caregivers”.

The move follows concern about consumers who had experienced adverse reactions following exposure to an allergenic substance in a food.

The FDA said: “If manufacturers choose to use advisory labeling to inform consumers of the potential presence of food allergens in the finished products, such labeling must be truthful and not misleading and should provide clear, uniform, and accurate information to food-allergic consumers about the potential presence of food allergens.

Source: FoodNavigator-USA.com