Sunday Edition: Food Allergens | Food Safety News

Quick bites in food safety this week

1. New guidelines from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are tighten standards for making the “Product of USA” claim on a food label. The new guidance doubles down on requirements that producers making such a claim have documented evidence “on hand” and be prepared to submit it to the USDA within 24 hours of a request.
2. The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated documents relating to surveillance and control of foodborne diseases. The WHO said rapid detection and effective response are essential to protect public health and prevent local events from escalating into international emergencies. How the United States will participate in this effort is a new question now that the country has officially withdrawn from WHO.
3. A food bill which includes mandatory allergen labeling and a licensing system for businesses has been proposed in Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands. The planned regulations cover food standards, such as labeling and allergen information, food hygiene and safety. If adopted, they will come into force in October.
4. Two Listeria-related mysteries have been solved. A former Dole executive quietly revealed how Company Investigators Uncovered Root Cause of Listeria Outbreak that sickened people in 13 states, killing two people, in 2021. Scientists were also able to identify the underlying cause of two listeriosis outbreaks at a cold-smoked salmon producer in Norway. Both cases illustrate the challenges of cleaning food processing machinery to ensure sources of contamination are eliminated.

Today’s topic: food allergens

The prevalence of food allergies has been increasing for decades, increasing by 50 percent between 1997 and 2011, and again by 50 percent between 2007 and 2021. So, few people are surprised when undeclared allergens are the leading cause of food recalls in the United States over a period of time.