With roughly 32 million children and adults1 in the United States affected by food allergies, it's essential to understand how food allergies affect consumers and suppliers. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates ingredient suppliers to help reduce cross-contamination and protect consumers. While current regulations are beneficial, around half of adults report developing a food allergy2 they didn't have as a child. The growing number of people with food allergies means that ingredient suppliers need to address dietary restrictions to protect an increasing consumer base.
Understanding Food Allergens
Food allergens are foods or substances that create an immune response in certain people — they can lead to allergic reactions, life-threatening conditions, or even death. The FDA recognizes these nine major food allergens3, although minor allergens do exist:
- Eggs
- Crustacean shellfish
- FIsh
- Milk
- Soybeans
- Treenuts
- Wheat
- Peanuts
- Sesame
Individuals with sensitivities to any of these allergens experience a range of symptoms depending on their allergy severity and exposure. Understanding the risks associated with food allergies is vital for consumers to make necessary informed dietary choices and suppliers to ensure safety.
Impact of Food Allergens
Food allergens impact consumers beyond their individual health concerns. Caring for a child with allergies costs families around $25 billion per year4 — more than $4,000 per year per child. Costs handled by families, not by the medical system, amounted to about $21 billion, 31 percent of which were related to the additional cost of food. Consumers who work to avoid allergens and find substitutes deal with financial and nutritional challenges. Finding affordable substitutes can take up more consumer time and money, inconveniencing them.
Along with consumer challenges, the food industry also faces struggles with food allergens. Ensuring accurate allergen labels, preventing cross-contamination, and developing allergen-free ingredients consume resources to ensure consumer safety. Additionally, food establishments must have protocols to protect their customers. Following food safety regulations and protocols helps ensure consumer well-being while maintaining trust in suppliers and businesses.
Exploring Food Allergen Regulations
To protect consumers and help educate them on food allergens, the FDA passed the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act5 (FALCPA) in 2004 and the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education and Research (FASTER) Act in 2021. Together, these acts require clear, accurate labels for all nine of the major food allergens. Manufacturers have to use plain language to declare allergens in their products, helping consumers stay safe while shopping. While not required, labels may also include potential cross-contamination information to explain the potential risks to consumers.
Suppliers also have to follow food allergen6 regulations. They need to give manufacturers accurate allergen information, helping them produce precise labels. Manufacturers and suppliers face legal repercussions if they fail to follow FDA standards, and they risk harming consumers and their reputations if they are not compliant.
These food allergen safety and labeling regulations help protect consumers with allergies and promote food supply chain transparency. Ingredient suppliers are critical in upholding these standards, making the food industry safer for everyone.
