Allergens
FDF welcomes changes to European food labelling legislation which means food
manufacturers must now identify clearly in ingredients lists on pack whether a
product contains allergens. This will make it much easier for consumers
affected
by
food allergies to make informed choices when shopping for food.
This new rule covers products which contain allergens known to be in a product
because they are naturally present or part of its recipe. However, occasionally
a
product can become inadvertently cross-contaminated with low levels of an
allergen. This might occur, for example, if a manufacturer is making products
containing
nuts in the same factory as it is making products containing no nuts.
There
are no
legal requirements for the labelling of the possible low-level presence
of
allergens through cross-contamination, but food manufacturers can
voluntarily
use 'may
contain' advisory labelling to warn consumers of any potential
danger.
However,
it is important that 'may contain' labelling should only be
used where
there is a
real risk of significant traces of an allergen being
present in a
product.
There
is agreement between FDF, consumer groups and
enforcement bodies
that unjustified
use of 'may contain' advisory labelling
restricts
consumer
choice and devalues
the impact of the warnings.
FDF is keen to improve allergen management in factories by food manufacturers
and encourages them to follow the principles contained in the Food Standard
Agency's Guidance on Allergen Management and Consumer
Information (pdf, 672kb). Doing so will help protect
consumers affected by food allergies without
unnecessarily restricting the range of
products they can buy.
More Information
Last reviewed: 16 May 2008