Experts Outline Process for Food Allergen Derivative Exemptions
Experts with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have developed a process for the consideration of future exemptions of highly refined foods and ingredients derived from or containing a priority allergen food.
A recently released report details the conclusions of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Risk Assessment of Food Allergens meeting, which was the fourth and final meeting in a series on allergens, and took place in Rome, Italy on November 14–18, 2022. The findings are intended to support the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) and the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) in updating Codex guidance and code on allergen labeling, precautionary labeling, and allergen controls. The November 2022 meeting addressed whether certain foods and ingredients, such as highly refined foods and ingredients, that are derived from any of the foods on the list of priority allergenic foods could be exempted from mandatory declaration.