Last week, FDA issued a final guidance to help food manufacturers provide adequate data to support exemptions from the labeling requirements for ingredients derived from major food allergens. Food labels identifying products that contain major food allergens, such as milk, eggs, peanuts, fish, crustaceans, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, and soybeans, are required by the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004. The guidance allows manufacturers to avoid labeling products with major food allergens if they can modify the ingredient so it no longer presents a risk to consumers with food allergies. As part of this process, manufacturers would be required to submit scientific information demonstrating an ingredient derived from a major food allergen "does not cause an allergic response that poses a risk to human health" or "does not contain allergenic protein." These modifications would give consumers with allergenic reactions a greater variety of food options without fear of triggering an allergic reaction.
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