Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - March/April 2024 - 34

SAY THE MAGIC WORDS... SESAME ON THE SCENE
SESAME IS NOW REQUIRED ON FOOD LABELS
and many Asian foods-has made
sesame more available and have the
potential for allergic reactions (Food
Allergy Research & Education, n.d.).
In addition, since sesame has arrived
on the food scene and is being served
more often, people who have not
consumed sesame-containing foods
may have their first exposure to them
and may react with exposure to the
allergen (Thiry, 2021).
HOW IS SESAME AVOIDED?
What should you look for when trying
to avoid sesame? According to Food
Allergy Research & Education, to
prevent a reaction, sesame should be
strictly avoided. It is listed by these
common names: benne, benne seed,
benniseed, gingelly, gingelly oil,
gomasio (sesame salt), halvah, sesame
flour, sesame oil, sesame paste, sesame
salt, sesame see, sesamol, sesamum
indicum, sesemolina, sim sim, tahini,
tahina, tehina, and til. Here is a list of
common foods that may have sesame
as an ingredient:
* Asian cuisine (sesame oil is
commonly used in cooking)
* Baked goods (such as bagels, bread,
breadsticks, hamburger buns, and
rolls)
* Bread crumbs
* Cereals (such as granola and muesli)
* Chips (such as bagel chips, pita
chips, and tortilla chips)
* Crackers (such as melba toast and
sesame snap bars)
* Dipping sauces (such as baba
ghanoush, hummus, and tahini
sauce)
* Dressings, gravies, marinades, and
sauces
* Falafel
* Hummus
OR
CONTAINS STATEMENT
Source: FDA.gov (Food and Drug
Administration. Office of the Commissioner,
2023)
INGREDIENTS:
POTATOES, CANOLA OIL,
SPICES, SALT, GARLIC
POWDER, SUGAR, NATURAL
FLAVORING
INGREDIENT LIST
INGREDIENTS:
POTATOES, CANOLA
OIL, SPICES [SESAME,
WHEAT], SALT, GARLIC
POWDER, SUGAR, NATURAL
FLAVORING
* Flavored rice, noodles, risotto, shish
kebabs, stews, and stir fry
* Goma-dofu (Japanese dessert)
* Herbs and herbal drinks
* Margarine
* Nutritional supplements
* Pasteli (Greek dessert)
* Processed meats and sausages
* Protein and energy bars
* Tahini
* Snack foods (such as pretzels, candy,
Halvah, Japanese snack mix, and rice
cakes)
* Soups
* Sushi
* Tempeh
* Turkish cake
* Vegetarian burgers
34 NUTRITION & FOODSERVICE EDGE | MARCH-APRIL 2024
Sesame is not always present in these
foods, however, sesame can appear
in unusual foods, so label reading is
of the utmost importance. Always
read food labels and ask questions if
you're ever unsure about an item's
ingredients. Studies also show that
people with specific food allergies can
typically consume highly refined oils
made from those foods, like highlyrefined
peanut oil or soybean oil, for
example. However, sesame oil is not
highly refined and should be avoided
by people who have a sesame allergy
or sensitivity (Food Allergy Research &
Education, n.d.).
What about spices, spice blends, and
other flavorings? These items can be
added to foods as an ingredient. Spices
and spice blends and other flavoring
recipes can be considered to be
http://www.FDA.gov
Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - March/April 2024

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