Articles Tagged with ''precautionary allergen labeling''

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) is seeking stakeholder input on official advice for the proper use of precautionary allergen labels (PALs), which suggests that food businesses specify which of the 14 major allergens to which a PAL refers.

Risk-based approaches for food allergens offer a path forward for both allergen management and precautionary allergen labeling decision-making. After many years of research, a clearer picture has emerged of the population-level, threshold-dose distributions for major food allergens using data generated in double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge studies. If the food allergen management field is headed for a shift toward quantitative, risk-based management strategies, however, then several method considerations and important data gaps must be addressed.

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.

Food Allergy Canada recently released its Allergen Management Guidelines for Food Manufacturers, which includes online training and a user guide. The guidelines aim to support Canadian food and beverage manufacturers in managing allergens in their facility to enhance food safety.