BIZTRACKS
Allergen Bureau to Update VITAL Online, Reflecting Latest International Guidance
The Allergen Bureau announced that several updates to VITAL Online will take effect on July 20, 2026. The VITAL Program and VITAL Online identify allergens that require labeling consideration, whether due to intentional inclusion or cross-contact.
Some VITAL users may need to review their product assessments because the changes could affect cross-contact allergen assessment outcomes in certain cases, including whether precautionary allergen labeling (PAL) is recommended.
The update includes changes to tree nut grouping, gluten-containing cereal labeling, and several technical improvements to the VITAL Online platform.
Tree Nut Assessment Updated
Following a review by the VITAL Scientific Expert Panel (VSEP), the VITAL Program has revised how tree nuts are assessed in VITAL Online.
Under VITAL Version 4.1, each tree nut will be evaluated individually against its respective reference dose (RfD), and cross-contact concentrations for different tree nuts will no longer be combined. The Allergen Bureau said there are no changes to the existing RfDs, and tree nuts will continue to be grouped only for reporting purposes.
According to the organization, previously, not all tree nuts had sufficient data to support individual RfDs in earlier versions of the VITAL Program. With recommended RfDs now available for all individual tree nuts, grouping is no longer necessary.
The Allergen Bureau said the change aligns the VITAL Program with current scientific evidence, simplifies application of RfDs, and may reduce unnecessary PAL for tree nuts.
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Gluten-Containing Cereals Display Revised
The update also changes how gluten-containing cereals are displayed in VITAL Online.
Across all jurisdictions, labeling outcomes will now identify both the cereal source and gluten (e.g., “barley, gluten,” “oats, gluten,” “rye, gluten,” “wheat, gluten”).
According to the Allergen Bureau, the change is intended to provide greater consistency across jurisdictions while recognizing that allergen declaration requirements differ by country. The organization said users remain responsible for determining the appropriate declaration terminology and label format based on local regulatory requirements.
The Allergen Bureau also said an additional VITAL Online update is planned in the coming months to reflect the revised 4-milligram gluten RfD recommended by Codex.
Additional Platform Updates and User Actions
Other updates to VITAL Online include:
- Improved search box functionality with dropdown results
- Minor revisions to report text
- Updated PDF report descriptors
- Renaming the "Reference Amount Assumptions" section to "Assumptions."
The Allergen Bureau said account owners must use the platform's "Update All" function to refresh recipes following the update. This function is available only to account owners.
The organization also reminded users that while the VITAL Program identifies allergens requiring labeling consideration, it does not prescribe specific label wording, formatting, or placement. Risk assessors remain responsible for ensuring allergen declarations comply with applicable regulatory requirements in the country where the product is sold, including decisions about ingredient statements and PAL.
