Food labeling—whether it’s for allergens or simple nutritional information—is one of the most critical, but overlooked, steps in food and beverage manufacturing and retail. It’s not just about ensuring compliance with guidelines and legislation – or even avoiding costly recalls. It’s about ensuring the safety of consumers, as one small mistake can cause illness, or worse, lead to death.
To mitigate food health risks to Americans, Congress passed the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA). The law applies to all domestic and imported foods whose labeling is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and requires clear labels for what common allergens are “contained” in food items. But this regulation is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what the government and independent companies can and should do to ensure the safety of consumers.