FDA Considers Making Food Labels Disclose Sesame to Help Allergy Sufferers

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An estimated 300,000 people in the U.S. who suffer from a sesame allergy. Since 2004, food manufacturers in the U.S. have been required by law to label eight major allergens on their packaging: peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat and soybeans—but not sesame. By contrast, packaged foods in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Europe already must include sesame on labels.

Now, the FDA is in the first stages of considering adding sesame to the list. Last month it issued a request for information on sesame to learn more about the prevalence and severity of sesame allergies, as well as the food industry’s thoughts on the issue before taking regulatory action. The FDA is accepting comments on its proposal through the end of the year.

Eight of 22 major food companies don’t regularly disclose sesame on U.S. packaging labels, according to a 2017 survey conducted by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a Washington, D.C.-based consumer advocacy group that has submitted a petition to the FDA to add sesame to the list of required disclosures. Fourteen companies said they carry at least one brand in which they do declare sesame as an ingredient and don’t include it as an undisclosed “spice” or “natural flavoring.” But only two post their policies clearly on their websites; the others provide information upon request.

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The danger of sesame allergies gained attention after a teenage girl died in 2016 from an anaphylactic allergic reaction that started while on board a British Airways flight, the Associated Press reported. She had eaten a sandwich she bought at the airport that contained sesame that wasn’t labeled, AP said.

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Dr. Gupta is first author of a study expected to be published next week in the journal Pediatrics showing that 34% of children with a sesame allergy reported having to go to the emergency department one or more times over the previous year, compared to 19% for all other food allergies. CSPI has submitted the data to the FDA in addition to its original petition.

More..

https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-considers-making-food-labels-disclose-sesame-to-help-allergy-sufferers-1542035295 (paid subscription)

[Doreen]

1. Why post anything on foods anymore?

I actually used a magnifying glass to try and read the print and that did not even work. I ended up having to take a picture on my phone and then enlarge it to read it. Good thing I finally broke down and got a smart phone.