by Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Products
Association
Introduction
Food allergies affect
only a small percentage of consumers. However, some of these sensitive
consumers can develop serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if exposed
to certain allergenic proteins. Currently, there is no cure for food allergies.
The only successful method to manage a food allergy is avoidance of foods
containing the allergen.
Food processors must be
diligent in informing consumers about the presence of allergenic ingredients in
their products. Appropriate measures also must be taken to minimize the risk to
allergic consumers of coming in contact with food allergens that are
inadvertently present in a product and consequently not declared on the label.
Allergenic proteins in
and derived from the following foods are the major food allergens in the United
States: egg, fish, milk, peanuts, shellfish, including crustacea (e.g., crab,
crayfish, lobster, and shrimp) and mollusks (e.g., clams, mussels, and
oysters), soy, tree nuts (e.g., almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews,
hazelnuts/filberts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, and
walnuts), and wheat. Ingredients made from these foods that do not contain
protein are not allergenic.
It is estimated that the
allergens from the list account for approximately 90% of all food allergies in
the United States. As more scientific evidence becomes available, the list may
change.
Code of
Practice
To address the issue of
food allergens, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and Food Products
Association (GMA/FPA), the scientific trade association for the food processing
industry, has developed a Code of Practice. The purpose of the Code is to
delineate the general practices that can ensure effective strategies of food
allergen management. This Code, which was developed and approved with input
from food companies, states that GMA/FPA Members subscribe to the following
practices:
GMA/FPA Members label,
in terms commonly understood by consumers, the major food allergens in their
ingredient declarations, including those that are part of natural and
artificial flavors, or other food ingredients.
GMA/FPA Members use Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and other allergen
control strategies to manage and minimize the potential cross-contact of the
major food allergens. These strategies include, but are not limited to,
training, separation, sanitation, and scheduling.
In those instances where GMPs and other allergen control strategies are being
followed but are not reliable in sufficiently minimizing the risk of allergen
cross-contact, then ingredient declaration or supplementary information, such
as allergen labeling or inclusion of additional food allergen information,
would be appropriate.
GMA/FPA Members will take an active role in educating employees, business
partners, food service customers, and consumers about food allergens.
GMA/FPA and its Member companies continue to develop processing, analytical,
and operational strategies to further reduce the risk to allergic consumers of
ingesting food allergens.
Food Allergy
Q & A
The following Q&A
was adapted from material developed and approved for use by the IFIC Food
Allergy Forum.
Q.
What is a food allergy?
A.
A food allergy is a reaction of the body’s immune system to something in
a food or an ingredient in a food—usually a protein. It can be a serious
condition and should be diagnosed by a board-certified allergist.
Q.
How many people
have
A. According to the
National Institutes of Health, approximately 5 million Americans, (5 – 8
% of children, and 1 – 2 % of adults) have a true food allergy. Many
people with any type of food sensitivity have food intolerances. Fewer people
have a true food allergy involving the immune system.
Q.
What foods
trigger allergic reactions?
A.
There are eight major food allergens, including milk, eggs, peanuts,
tree nuts (such as walnuts and almonds), soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish. These
eight foods are the most common food allergens and cause more than 90 % of all
food allergic reactions. Among children, an allergy to milk, eggs and peanuts
are most common.
Q.
What are the symptoms of
A.
Symptoms of food allergy differ greatly among individuals. They can also differ
in the same person during different exposures.
Allergic reactions to
food can vary in severity, time of onset, and may be affected by when the food
was eaten.
Common symptoms of a
food allergy include skin irritation such as rashes, hives, and eczema, and
gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Asthma, runny
nose, and shortness of breath can also result from a food allergy.
Some individuals may
experience a more severe reaction called anaphylaxis, a rare but potentially
fatal condition in which several different parts of the body experience
allergic reactions. These may include itching, hives, swelling of the throat,
difficulty breathing, lower blood pressure, and unconsciousness.
For more information
about food allergens, visit our web page at
www.nfpa-food.org.
For more information
about the Hirzel Canning Company's AllergenWatch Program, please write to
info@hirzel.com.
