Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act

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The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) is a United States law that requires all food labels in the United States to list ingredients that may cause allergic reactions and was effective as of January 1, 2006. [1] While many ingredients can trigger a food allergy, this legislation only specifies the eight major food allergens. This law was passed largely due to the efforts of organizations such as the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN).

The purpose of this act was to prevent manufacturers from using misleading, uncommon, or confusing methods to label their ingredients. [2] Someone shopping for a friend with a soy allergy might not know that lecithin is derived from soy. Now it must be labeled "lecithin (soy)" to help prevent consumers from consuming allergens.

Eight "major" food allergens

This law is in regard to the eight most common food allergens. [3] These affect the most people and the proteins are commonly found in other ingredients. They account for about 90% of food allergies. [4] The main eight are:

Any ingredient which contains proteins derived from these allergens must also be listed. [5] The specific type of nut, fish, or shellfish must be listed (e.g. walnut, catfish, blue crab). [6] Even minute amounts, such as coloring or spices, must be listed if they contain any proteins from these major allergens. [7]

Manufacturers are given two ways in which to label food allergens. They may either state the food source name of a major food allergen in the list of ingredients, most often contained within parenthesis. (e.g. Casein (milk)) or they could instead use the word "contains" in the label, such as "contains peanuts". [1]

They can choose either method, as long as it is clearly written. If they choose the second method and say an ingredient "contains" the allergen, they must be sure to list all allergens contained, such as by saying "contains pecans and soy".

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Nutella Chocolate hazelnut spread manufactured by Ferrero

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Peanut Legume cultivated as a grain and oil crop

The peanut, also known as the groundnut, goober (US), pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), and taxonomically classified as Arachis hypogaea, is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics, being important to both small and large commercial producers. It is classified as both a grain legume and, due to its high oil content, an oil crop. World annual production of shelled peanuts was 44 million tonnes in 2016, led by China with 38% of the world total. Atypically among legume crop plants, peanut pods develop underground (geocarpy) rather than above ground. With this characteristic in mind, the botanist Carl Linnaeus gave peanuts the specific epithet hypogaea, which means "under the earth".

An allergen is a type of antigen that produces an abnormally vigorous immune response in which the immune system fights off a perceived threat that would otherwise be harmless to the body. Such reactions are called allergies.

Lecithin Generic term for amphiphilic substances of plant and animal origin

Lecithin is a generic term to designate any group of yellow-brownish fatty substances occurring in animal and plant tissues which are amphiphilic – they attract both water and fatty substances, and are used for smoothing food textures, emulsifying, homogenizing liquid mixtures, and repelling sticking materials.

Food allergy Hypersensitivity reaction to a food

A food allergy is an abnormal immune response to food. The symptoms of the allergic reaction may range from mild to severe. They may include itchiness, swelling of the tongue, vomiting, diarrhea, hives, trouble breathing, or low blood pressure. This typically occurs within minutes to several hours of exposure. When the symptoms are severe, it is known as anaphylaxis. A food intolerance and food poisoning are separate conditions, not due to an immune response.

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) products are foodstuffs obtained by protein hydrolysis and are used as ingredients to create a bouillon (broth) taste without the vegetables, bones, simmering, or other standard elements of creating bouillon from scratch.

The law in the UK on food labelling is multifaceted and is spread over many reforms and parliamentary acts, making the subject complex. It must comply with the relevant rules in the European Union, for which the main law relating to food labelling is Regulation (EU) 1169/2011, which is implemented in the UK in the Food Information Regulations 2014, the Food Information (Wales) Regulations 2014, the Food Information (Scotland) Regulations 2014 and the Food Information Regulations 2014.

Peanut allergy Type of food allergy caused by peanuts

Peanut allergy is a type of food allergy to peanuts. It is different from tree nut allergies, with peanuts being legumes and not true nuts. Physical symptoms of allergic reaction can include itchiness, hives, swelling, eczema, sneezing, asthma attack, abdominal pain, drop in blood pressure, diarrhea, and cardiac arrest. Anaphylaxis may occur. Those with a history of asthma are more likely to be severely affected.

Soy allergy Medical condition

Soy allergy is a type of food allergy. It is a hypersensitivity to ingesting compounds in soy, causing an overreaction of the immune system, typically with physical symptoms, such as gastrointestinal discomfort, respiratory distress, or a skin reaction. Soy is among the eight most common foods inducing allergic reactions in children and adults. It has a prevalence of about 0.3% in the general population.

Vegetarianism and wine

The production of wine is a delicate process that includes a range of factors to obtain the desired outcome. One step in the production of wine often includes a process called fining. The fining process requires a fining agent to be suspended into the vat where it will later be filtered out of the wine. Fining agents are typically either animal, carbon or clay-based products and are used to gather proteins or sediment within the wine to adjust impurities such as color, haziness, taste and/ or smell. Animal-based fining agents include gelatin, isinglass, egg whites (albumen), and casein. Different agents will be used based on the desired outcome of the wine and the winemaker's preference. Because the fining agent is filtered back out of the wine, the labeling of these additives are not required or regulated in most places.

Mixed nuts

Mixed nuts are a snack food consisting of any mixture of mechanically or manually combined nuts. Common constituents are peanuts, almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts (filberts), and pecans. Mixed nuts may be salted, roasted, cooked, or blanched.

Milk allergy Type of food allergy caused by milk

Milk allergy is an adverse immune reaction to one or more proteins in cow's milk. When allergy symptoms occur, they can occur rapidly or have a gradual onset. The former may include anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening condition which requires treatment with epinephrine among other measures. The latter can take hours to days to appear, with symptoms including atopic dermatitis, inflammation of the esophagus, enteropathy involving the small intestine and proctocolitis involving the rectum and colon.

Egg allergy Immune hypersensitivity to proteins found in eggs

Egg allergy is an immune hypersensitivity to proteins found in chicken eggs, and possibly goose, duck, or turkey eggs. Symptoms can be either rapid or gradual in onset. The latter can take hours to days to appear. The former may include anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening condition which requires treatment with epinephrine. Other presentations may include atopic dermatitis or inflammation of the esophagus.

Tree nut allergy Medical condition

A tree nut allergy is a hypersensitivity to dietary substances from tree nuts and edible tree seeds causing an overreaction of the immune system which may lead to severe physical symptoms. Tree nuts include, but are not limited to, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, filberts/hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, shea nuts and walnuts.

The Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is the branch of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that regulates food, dietary supplements, cosmetics, drugs, biologics, medical devices, and radiological products.

Food Allergy Research & Education

Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) is the world's largest non-profit organization dedicated to food allergy awareness, education, research, and advocacy; the group provides information, programs, and resources about food allergies and anaphylaxis. The organization was founded in 1991 to serve as a clearinghouse for food allergy information, by a parent whose own daughter was diagnosed with milk and egg allergy.

Ara h1

Ara h 1 is a seed storage protein from Arachis hypogaea (peanuts). It is a heat stable 7S vicilin-like globulin with a stable trimeric form that comprises 12-16% of the total protein in peanut extracts. Ara h 1 is known because sensitization to it was found in 95% of peanut-allergic patients from North America. In spite of this high percentage, peanut-allergic patients of European populations have fewer sensitizations to Ara h 1.

Vegan cheese Cheese-like substance made without animal products

Vegan cheese is a category of non-dairy, plant-based cheese analogues. Vegan cheeses range from soft fresh cheeses to aged and cultured hard grateable cheeses like plant-based Parmesan. The defining characteristic of vegan cheese is the exclusion of all animal products.

Fish allergy Food allergy triggered by fish

Fish allergy is an immune hypersensitivity to proteins found in fish. Symptoms can be either rapid or gradual in onset. The latter can take hours to days to appear. The former may include anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening condition which requires treatment with epinephrine. Other presentations may include atopic dermatitis or inflammation of the esophagus. Fish is one of the eight common food allergens, responsible for 90% of allergic reactions to foods: cow's milk, eggs, wheat, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and soy beans.

Shellfish allergy Medical condition

Shellfish allergy is among the most common food allergies. "Shellfish" is a colloquial and fisheries term for aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs such as clams, mussels, oysters and scallops, crustaceans such as shrimp, lobsters and crabs, and cephalopods such as squid and octopus. Shellfish allergy is an immune hypersensitivity to proteins found in shellfish. Symptoms can be either rapid or gradual in onset. The latter can take hours to days to appear. The former may include anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening condition which requires treatment with epinephrine. Other presentations may include atopic dermatitis or inflammation of the esophagus. Shellfish is one of the eight common food allergens, responsible for 90% of allergic reactions to foods: cow's milk, eggs, wheat, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and soy beans.

References

  1. 1 2 Thompson, Tricia; Kane, Rhonda R.; Hager, Mary H. (November 2006). "Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 in Effect". Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 106 (11): 1742–1744. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2006.08.010. PMID   17081820.
  2. ↑ Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004, Pub. L. No. 108-282, § 202(4), 118 Stat. 905, 906 (2004), (available at https://www.fda.gov/food/food-allergensgluten-free-guidance-documents-regulatory-information/food-allergen-labeling-and-consumer-protection-act-2004-falcpa).
  3. ↑ 21 U.S.C. § 321 (qq) (available at https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/21/321).
  4. ↑ Public Law. "Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act". FARE. Archived from the original on 29 June 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  5. ↑ Bren, Linda (March–April 2006). "Food Labels Identify Allergens More Clearly". FDA Consumer. 40.2 (37–8).
  6. ↑ "FAQ About the Food Labeling Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA)". Kids With Food Allergies. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  7. ↑ "Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act". FARE. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
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