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Unwrapping the mystery of food labels
Unwrapping the Mystery of
Food Labels Congress Wants YOU to Know What’s in the Food You Eat Gregory Alford
The label wrapped around the chocolate that James Bay handed to his 2-year-old son, Andrew, seemed innocent enough. During the last leg of a 2001 family vacation, James and his wife, Karen, were closing in on their Clinton, Mass., home when Andrew became fidgety and cranky. Hoping to appease his toddler until they arrived home, James Bay turned and handed his son a small piece of chocolate. “Andrew nibbled at the chocolate, and a few minutes later, he looked at Karen with an expression she still calls ‘the look of doom,’” says James, his voice cracking as his emotions rise. “Then, he began projectile vomiting. I immediately pulled over to the side of the road and called 911.”
At 6 months of age, Andrew had begun having problems eating various foods. Over time, food allergies developed. Testing revealed Andrew was allergic to eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, bananas, and sesame. The family always took great care to prevent his being exposed to these offending foods. According to James, the chocolate they handed Andrew that day contained traces of peanuts, which the product label did not list as an ingredient. Had the label been accurate, they certainly would never have given Andrew that chocolate.
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The Scope of the Problem
A food allergy is the result of the immune system’s mistaking food proteins for unwelcome invaders. When this happens, chemical mediators in the body, such as histamine are released by cells of the immune system and flood into the bloodstream and surrounding tissues. This process causes inflammation in different parts of the body. Some reactions are mild and pass quickly. The most severe form of allergic reaction is anaphylaxis. It can result in hives, swelling, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, heart failure, circulatory collapse, and in rare circumstances, even death. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) estimates that 100 Americans die each year as a result of food allergies. The incidence of food allergies in the United States is increasing. Food allergies are now estimated to occur in 6.8% of children and 2% of adults. The condition leads to 30,000 episodes of anaphylaxis each year and approximately 150 deaths (Report of the Expert Panel on Food Allergy Research, June 30, 2003, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health). The AAAAI reports that any food can trigger an allergic reaction, but that 90% are caused by exposure to peanuts, tree nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews), eggs, milk, shellfish, soy, fish, or wheat. This growing problem has come to the attention of lawmakers, and Congress recently passed a law to help people deal with this difficult condition. The New Law
The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act will take effect on January 1, 2006. It’s objective is to provide consumers with uniform, consumer-friendly food-allergen labeling. President George W. Bush signed this major overhaul of food label regulations into law in August 2004. Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey (D-NY), who sponsored the legislation in the House of Representatives, says the law requires food manufacturers to clearly state whether a product contains any of the eight major food allergens (see sidebar). It also mandates that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conduct inspections of food manufacturers to ensure compliance with the new rules designed to reduce or eliminate unintentional cross-contamination with these major food allergens. “Starting January 1, 2006, people will be able to conduct shopping trips at the local supermarket with far less stress and anxiety because food ingredient statements will be straightforward, accurate, and easy to read,” says Lowey. “The solution provided under the bill was just common sense—provide the plain English terms for the eight major allergens alongside the scientific jargon currently used on ingredient statements.” John R. Cady, president and CEO of the National 20
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ASTHMA MAGAZINE
November/December 2004
Food Processors Association, says the act is not perfect. The association is concerned the act will result in costly regulations put into place by an overzealous FDA. However, the association threw its support behind the final draft of the act. “This legislation is another step in the process of ensuring that food-allergic consumers, and caregivers for those with food allergies, are getting the information they need from the labels on food packages,” says Cady. A “No-Brainer”
Andrew Saxon, MD, editor-in-chief of the Journal of the Clinical Immunology Society and faculty member at the University of Calif., Los Angeles, School of Medicine, says that the act, if applied in a realistic way, will make life a lot easier for millions of Americans. “I’m glad the legislation passed,” says Dr. Saxon. “It’s really a no-brainer. The best treatment for a food allergy is to avoid the allergen.” In a study conducted at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, parents of food-allergic children were presented with 23 representative food labels taken from widely-available products and asked to determine if that product was safe for their child. Just 7% of the parents correctly identified all 14 labels that indicated the presence of milk and only 22% recognized the presence of soy in 7 products. (J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2002;109(6):1019-21.) This was attributed to the use of technical names or names that are unfamiliar to the general population to describe these foods. “Currently, some food labels describe ingredients by using phrases such as ‘storage proteins’ for nuts, ‘albumin’ for egg, ‘vegetable protein’ for soy, and ‘caseinate’ for milk. Right now, no one really knows what the term ‘natural flavors’ means, which can be a life-threatening problem for people with food allergies,” says Dr. Saxon.
The BIG 8 Although any food can cause an allergic reaction, 90% are caused by exposure to one of eight food types that are often referred to as the big eight. The eight foods are: PEANUTS TREE NUTS (such as almonds, walnuts and cashews) EGGS MILK SHELLFISH SOY FISH WHEAT Source: The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
In addition, a recent FDA study found that 25% of food manufacturers that were inspected didn’t list ingredients that have the potential to cause fatal allergic reactions, and 47% did not check their products to ensure that label information was complete and correct. Andrew’s Fate
On that summer day in 2001, it was obvious to James Bay that Andrew was having a potentially deadly anaphylactic reaction. A few anxious minutes after Bay called 911, emergency workers converged on the family and transported Andrew to a nearby hospital. It took 6 hours of treatment in the emergency room to get him through the ordeal. Shortly after their scare, James and Karen began joining Web-based forums and discussion groups on food allergies. James launched an educational Website, and Karen is currently involved with a support group affiliated with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The pair also enlisted the support of their Congressman, Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), who cosponsored the Food Allergen Labeling Bill. James is pleased with the passage of the act, but he believes it does not go far enough. The act covers only the top eight food allergens, which will leave him, and possibly millions of others, in the same situation they are in now—that is, guessing what is actually in their food. “Tiny details can make a big difference,” says James. “There is still no consensus concerning what constitutes a large enough presence in a food to trigger an allergic
reaction. Labels are hideously inaccurate, and it’s frustrating trying to get specific information from companies; in addition, the information often turns out to be incorrect.” Today, Andrew is a happy 5-year-old who attends a food-allergy-aware school. James is hopeful that food allergies will not result in his son’s being segregated from other children during lunch and being made to feel as through he is “not normal.” “That is something we worry more and more about, especially as he grows older,” explains James. “But what we think about most often is how grateful we are that Andrew is still with us.” Gregory Alford is a freelance writer in Rockford, Ill., who writes health columns for several newspapers in Illinois.
Web Resources for Food Allergy www.aaaai.org American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology www.foodallergy.org The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network www.aafa.org Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/POFAK/ Parents of Food Allergic Kids
The Food Allergen Consumer Protection Act will… ■ Require that food ingredient statements identify in common language that an ingredient is itself, or is derived from, one of the eight main food allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, fish, Crustacea, eggs, milk, soy, and wheat), or is gluten (from rye, barley, oats, and triticale). ■ Require food ingredient labels to appear in a print size, type, and format that is easier to read than that required by current regulations. ■ Require food ingredient statements to identify food allergens used in spices, natural or artificial flavorings, additives, and colorings. ■ Preserve the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) current authority to regulate the safety of certain products bioengineered to contain proteins that cause allergic reactions. ■ Require food manufacturers to include a working telephone information number on food labels, including one for telecommunication devices for deaf persons. ■ Require food manufacturers to minimize cross contamination between foods produced in the same facility or on the same production line. ■ Require the use of the words “may contain” or other language in food labeling when steps to reduce cross contact will not eliminate the possibility of cross contact. ■ Allow the FDA to assess civil penalties against processors and plants that violate the labeling and manufacturing requirements for food allergens. ■ Require the Centers for Disease Control to track food-allergic-related deaths. Source: Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY).
ASTHMA MAGAZINE
to subscribe call 1.800.654.2452
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21
Food Labels Congress Wants YOU to Know What’s in the Food You Eat Gregory Alford
The label wrapped around the chocolate that James Bay handed to his 2-year-old son, Andrew, seemed innocent enough. During the last leg of a 2001 family vacation, James and his wife, Karen, were closing in on their Clinton, Mass., home when Andrew became fidgety and cranky. Hoping to appease his toddler until they arrived home, James Bay turned and handed his son a small piece of chocolate. “Andrew nibbled at the chocolate, and a few minutes later, he looked at Karen with an expression she still calls ‘the look of doom,’” says James, his voice cracking as his emotions rise. “Then, he began projectile vomiting. I immediately pulled over to the side of the road and called 911.”
At 6 months of age, Andrew had begun having problems eating various foods. Over time, food allergies developed. Testing revealed Andrew was allergic to eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, bananas, and sesame. The family always took great care to prevent his being exposed to these offending foods. According to James, the chocolate they handed Andrew that day contained traces of peanuts, which the product label did not list as an ingredient. Had the label been accurate, they certainly would never have given Andrew that chocolate.
ASTHMA MAGAZINE
to subscribe call 1.800.654.2452
|
19
The Scope of the Problem
A food allergy is the result of the immune system’s mistaking food proteins for unwelcome invaders. When this happens, chemical mediators in the body, such as histamine are released by cells of the immune system and flood into the bloodstream and surrounding tissues. This process causes inflammation in different parts of the body. Some reactions are mild and pass quickly. The most severe form of allergic reaction is anaphylaxis. It can result in hives, swelling, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, heart failure, circulatory collapse, and in rare circumstances, even death. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) estimates that 100 Americans die each year as a result of food allergies. The incidence of food allergies in the United States is increasing. Food allergies are now estimated to occur in 6.8% of children and 2% of adults. The condition leads to 30,000 episodes of anaphylaxis each year and approximately 150 deaths (Report of the Expert Panel on Food Allergy Research, June 30, 2003, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health). The AAAAI reports that any food can trigger an allergic reaction, but that 90% are caused by exposure to peanuts, tree nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews), eggs, milk, shellfish, soy, fish, or wheat. This growing problem has come to the attention of lawmakers, and Congress recently passed a law to help people deal with this difficult condition. The New Law
The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act will take effect on January 1, 2006. It’s objective is to provide consumers with uniform, consumer-friendly food-allergen labeling. President George W. Bush signed this major overhaul of food label regulations into law in August 2004. Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey (D-NY), who sponsored the legislation in the House of Representatives, says the law requires food manufacturers to clearly state whether a product contains any of the eight major food allergens (see sidebar). It also mandates that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conduct inspections of food manufacturers to ensure compliance with the new rules designed to reduce or eliminate unintentional cross-contamination with these major food allergens. “Starting January 1, 2006, people will be able to conduct shopping trips at the local supermarket with far less stress and anxiety because food ingredient statements will be straightforward, accurate, and easy to read,” says Lowey. “The solution provided under the bill was just common sense—provide the plain English terms for the eight major allergens alongside the scientific jargon currently used on ingredient statements.” John R. Cady, president and CEO of the National 20
|
ASTHMA MAGAZINE
November/December 2004
Food Processors Association, says the act is not perfect. The association is concerned the act will result in costly regulations put into place by an overzealous FDA. However, the association threw its support behind the final draft of the act. “This legislation is another step in the process of ensuring that food-allergic consumers, and caregivers for those with food allergies, are getting the information they need from the labels on food packages,” says Cady. A “No-Brainer”
Andrew Saxon, MD, editor-in-chief of the Journal of the Clinical Immunology Society and faculty member at the University of Calif., Los Angeles, School of Medicine, says that the act, if applied in a realistic way, will make life a lot easier for millions of Americans. “I’m glad the legislation passed,” says Dr. Saxon. “It’s really a no-brainer. The best treatment for a food allergy is to avoid the allergen.” In a study conducted at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, parents of food-allergic children were presented with 23 representative food labels taken from widely-available products and asked to determine if that product was safe for their child. Just 7% of the parents correctly identified all 14 labels that indicated the presence of milk and only 22% recognized the presence of soy in 7 products. (J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2002;109(6):1019-21.) This was attributed to the use of technical names or names that are unfamiliar to the general population to describe these foods. “Currently, some food labels describe ingredients by using phrases such as ‘storage proteins’ for nuts, ‘albumin’ for egg, ‘vegetable protein’ for soy, and ‘caseinate’ for milk. Right now, no one really knows what the term ‘natural flavors’ means, which can be a life-threatening problem for people with food allergies,” says Dr. Saxon.
The BIG 8 Although any food can cause an allergic reaction, 90% are caused by exposure to one of eight food types that are often referred to as the big eight. The eight foods are: PEANUTS TREE NUTS (such as almonds, walnuts and cashews) EGGS MILK SHELLFISH SOY FISH WHEAT Source: The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
In addition, a recent FDA study found that 25% of food manufacturers that were inspected didn’t list ingredients that have the potential to cause fatal allergic reactions, and 47% did not check their products to ensure that label information was complete and correct. Andrew’s Fate
On that summer day in 2001, it was obvious to James Bay that Andrew was having a potentially deadly anaphylactic reaction. A few anxious minutes after Bay called 911, emergency workers converged on the family and transported Andrew to a nearby hospital. It took 6 hours of treatment in the emergency room to get him through the ordeal. Shortly after their scare, James and Karen began joining Web-based forums and discussion groups on food allergies. James launched an educational Website, and Karen is currently involved with a support group affiliated with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The pair also enlisted the support of their Congressman, Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), who cosponsored the Food Allergen Labeling Bill. James is pleased with the passage of the act, but he believes it does not go far enough. The act covers only the top eight food allergens, which will leave him, and possibly millions of others, in the same situation they are in now—that is, guessing what is actually in their food. “Tiny details can make a big difference,” says James. “There is still no consensus concerning what constitutes a large enough presence in a food to trigger an allergic
reaction. Labels are hideously inaccurate, and it’s frustrating trying to get specific information from companies; in addition, the information often turns out to be incorrect.” Today, Andrew is a happy 5-year-old who attends a food-allergy-aware school. James is hopeful that food allergies will not result in his son’s being segregated from other children during lunch and being made to feel as through he is “not normal.” “That is something we worry more and more about, especially as he grows older,” explains James. “But what we think about most often is how grateful we are that Andrew is still with us.” Gregory Alford is a freelance writer in Rockford, Ill., who writes health columns for several newspapers in Illinois.
Web Resources for Food Allergy www.aaaai.org American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology www.foodallergy.org The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network www.aafa.org Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/POFAK/ Parents of Food Allergic Kids
The Food Allergen Consumer Protection Act will… ■ Require that food ingredient statements identify in common language that an ingredient is itself, or is derived from, one of the eight main food allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, fish, Crustacea, eggs, milk, soy, and wheat), or is gluten (from rye, barley, oats, and triticale). ■ Require food ingredient labels to appear in a print size, type, and format that is easier to read than that required by current regulations. ■ Require food ingredient statements to identify food allergens used in spices, natural or artificial flavorings, additives, and colorings. ■ Preserve the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) current authority to regulate the safety of certain products bioengineered to contain proteins that cause allergic reactions. ■ Require food manufacturers to include a working telephone information number on food labels, including one for telecommunication devices for deaf persons. ■ Require food manufacturers to minimize cross contamination between foods produced in the same facility or on the same production line. ■ Require the use of the words “may contain” or other language in food labeling when steps to reduce cross contact will not eliminate the possibility of cross contact. ■ Allow the FDA to assess civil penalties against processors and plants that violate the labeling and manufacturing requirements for food allergens. ■ Require the Centers for Disease Control to track food-allergic-related deaths. Source: Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY).
ASTHMA MAGAZINE
to subscribe call 1.800.654.2452
|
21