US: Is the food industry doing enough to control allergens?
Food Safety News: A recent spate of [US] food product recalls due to undeclared allergenic agents illustrates the problem the food industry has in preventing allergen exposures.
While food manufacturers usually have allergen controls in place, protecting those in the population with food allergies can be particularly challenging. Undeclared allergens are considered a significant chemical hazard in food and thus a critical control in many processes, yet most product recalls are due to undeclared allergens.
At-risk consumers rely on the labels on foods to guide them in making healthy choices and to protect themselves from allergens. Therefore, the failure to properly label foods when they contain allergenic ingredients, or when they have the potential to contain an allergenic compound, is a massive failure of a company’s food safety system.