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Happy Birthday! The Food Allergen labeling and Consumer Protection Act turns 5 years-old
28-Sep-2009
Just over five years ago, August of 2004, those with celiac disease ushered in a landmark change to the nation’s food labeling law with the signing of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA).
The new law requires the top eight allergens – milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, crustacean shellfish, soy and wheat – to be listed on food products. Additionally, the ingredients must displayed in plain English. Since January 2006, millions of Americans with food allergies and celiac disease have been able to make informed choices about the food products. FALCPA has made life better for all those battling these issues. Greater awareness of celiac disease has led to more people being diagnosed. At this point, the only treatment currently available is complete avoidance of gluten. The introduction of new labelling regulations over the past few years has aimed to make this easier for those with gluten sensitivity. FALCPA was a clear improvement for celiac sufferers. It also proposed that a rule should be set to define 'gluten-free', as it had been unregulated in the US. In 2007, the FDA proposed that gluten should be labelled at anything over 20mg per kg (20ppm). Although this rule has yet to be finalized, many companies are already voluntarily using this standard. The Celiac Sprue Association has said it would like to see labelling of the smallest measurable amounts of gluten, which it claims are as low as 3ppm, in order to minimize risk of exposure for the most sensitive celiac sufferers. But recent research shows that consumers are confused by the wide variety of advisory labels. Last month, researchers writing in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found 25 different types of advisory term including ‘may contain’, ‘shared equipment’ and ‘within plant’. Additionally, they found that 65 percent of products listed non-specific terms, such as ‘natural flavors’ and 'spices’, and that 83 percent of those were not linked to any specific ingredients. The US government estimates that around one in 133 people in the country suffer from celiac disease, yet only around 40,000 to 60,000 Americans have been diagnosed. In Europe, it is estimated that celiac disease affects an average of one in 300 people, one in 200 in Germany and one in 100 in the UK. |
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