Meat + Poultry - June 2017 - 14

WA S H I N G T O N

Avoiding allergens
Allergies to food are becoming an
increasing problem in the food industry,
including those regulated by the US
Dept. of Agriculture (USDA).
Research carried out by the
US Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) shows the
percentage of children who suffer
from an allergy to some type of food
increased by 50 percent between the
years of 1997 and 2011. Most allergic
reactions, about 90 percent, come from
eight foods (the "Big 8"), including
eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish,
shellfish and wheat.
Experts cite several common
reasons for the increase in food allergies:
Americans' obsession with cleanliness,
triggering immunity problems; overuse
of antibiotics or stomach medicines
that cut back acids, changing people's
gastrointestinal tracts and getting rid of
too many microbes in our systems; and
evolutionary changes in the environment
and the genetics of humans.
The food industry and the agencies
that regulate food are looking for
ways to deal with the issue. Parents,
especially, are scanning food labels,
looking for warnings that ingredients
within those foods could cause allergies.
Recently, USDA's Food Safety
and Inspection Service (FSIS) held
a meeting to deal with undeclared

allergens in foods it regulates to reduce publishing compliance guidelines to
help industry, and a new Directive
recalls related to allergens. A major
7230.1 - Ongoing Verification of Product
topic of discussion at the meeting
Formulations and Labeling Targeting the
was what consumers think of allergen
Eight Most Common Food Allergens.
labeling on food products.
The agency has also taken steps
The conclusion was that
to deal with allergens during
confusion abounds. It's not
Food Safety Assessments
that consumers don't trust
labeling about allergens
Most allergic reactions, it carries out at inspected
establishments.
found on food product
about 90 percent,
As part of its
labels - they do. But the
come from eight
directive,
USDA
consensus at the meeting
foods (the "Big 8").
inspectors are meeting
was that consumers need
with establishment owners
more education about
and asking whether they're
precautionary allergen labeling,
developing and implementing
that doctors need to change how they
preventive or control measures within
advise their patients about how to
the plant's HACCP plan, sanitation
avoid allergens, and that consumers
SOPs or other prerequisite programs to
learn how to trust labels with
address allergens in production. There
information they can understand.
are also discussions about whether
When FSIS lists reasons for recalls
plants produce any of the "Big 8."
over the past 16 years, 31 percent
Inspectors are also telling plant
are "undeclared ingredients" - many
managers FSIS will be verifying that
of which are allergens. Because of
establishment labels match product
public health concerns, consumers are
formulations. This will take place
increasingly concerned about allergens
during an ongoing "Big 8 Formulation
in food. Possibly most concerning of
Verification" task that inspectors will
all, the root causes of FSIS product
carry out monthly. This may be the
recalls over the past 10 years are
labeling errors. They included incorrect most crucial step of all to cut down the
number of allergen-based recalls. Many
ingredient statements, missing
of these recalls are happening because
ingredient statements or ingredient
plants are not listing the allergens on
statements that omitted allergens.
their product labels. Unfortunately,
FSIS officials said an increase in
plants end up paying a big price for not
allergen-related recalls in the past few
listing those ingredients.
years prompted the agency to issue
several notices dealing with allergens,
B E R N A R D S H I R E | m e a t p o u l t r y @ s o s l a n d .c o m

There's been a big increase in undeclared
allergens in FSIS-regulated products over the
past six years.
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Meat + Poultry - June 2017

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