Tag: allergen
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Allergic Reaction to Pesticide on Blueberries Reported
A recent study in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology reportedly attributes an anaphylactic reaction in a 10-year-old girl to the antibiotic pesticide applied to the blueberries in the pie she was eating. François Graham et al., “Risk of allergic reaction and sensitization to antibiotics in foods,” Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, September 2014.…
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FDA Issues Lupin Allergy Warning
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a consumer update warning that the lupin (or lupine) legume could cause allergic reactions in susceptible individuals, especially those with existing peanut allergies. According to FDA, the use of lupin-derived ingredients has increased in recent years because they are used in gluten-free products as a substitute…
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EFSA Releases Draft Opinion on Allergenic Food Ingredient Labeling
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has launched a public consultation on a draft scientific opinion evaluating “allergenic foods and food ingredients for labeling purposes.” Prepared by EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), the new draft updates previous scientific opinions “relative to food ingredients or substances with known allergenic potential listed in…
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FDA Drafts Industry Guidance on Food Allergen Labeling Exemptions
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued draft guidance intended to help the food industry prepare submissions for obtaining exemptions from the labeling requirements for major food allergens. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) requires that food labels identify products containing major food allergens (milk, eggs, fish, crustacean…
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FSIS Issues Guidance for Meat and Poultry Product Allergens
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued guidance for identifying, controlling and labeling allergens and other ingredients of public health concern through hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) plans, standard operating procedures (SOPs) or other prerequisite programs. Geared toward meat and poultry products, the guidance seeks to ensure…
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ASA Deems Lactose-Free Product Claims “Sufficiently Clear”
The U.K. Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that an advertisement for a range of lactose-free products made “sufficiently clear that the Lactofree products were not suitable for dairy allergy sufferers but were suitable for those intolerant to lactose.” Responding to a complaint alleging that the ad failed to adequately differentiate between lactose intolerance and…
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FDA Food Recalls by Unit Double in Third Quarter
According to data recently issued by Stericycle Expert Solutions, the number of food recalls documented by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) during the third quarter (Q3) of 2013 declined 14 percent compared to the previous quarter. Of the foods recalled, 44 percent, an increase of 8 percent from the previous quarter, were classified as…
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Slate Article Rebuts Media Item Linking Eosinophilic Disorder to GM Corn
An August 7, 2013, Slate article by Genetic Literacy Project Executive Director Jon Entine has criticized a recent magazine story allegedly linking eosinophilic disorder—“a multisystemic condition in which white blood cells overproduce in response to allergens”—to genetically modified (GM) corn, calling out Elle writer Caitlin Shetterly for stoking “conspiratorial fears that the government is covering…