FDA Hosting a Meeting on Food Allergy Labeling on August 13

Dear Friends,

In May 2000, the Attorneys General of nine states (Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Vermont and Wyoming) petitioned the FDA for regulations mandating reforms in the manufacture and labeling of allergenic foods. This is what they have requested:
1)disclosure of all allergenic ingredients, including incidental additives and natural
flavorings;
2)institution of procedures to minimize cross contamination with allergens;
3) toll-free telephone numbers on food labels for consumers seeking detailed processing
and/or ingredient information; and
4)warning labels or insignias noting potential allergen contact.

To date, the FDA has failed to take any action on this petition. Instead, in May 2001, it released a Compliance Policy Guideline and a Guide to Inspections aimed at manufacturers that produce allergenic products. The FDA also assisted the National Food Processors Association and the Food Allergy Issues Alliance to prepare voluntary food allergen management and labeling guidelines, which were issued in May 2001. These documents, as well as related press releases and other information, are available on the following websites: [url="http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/wh-alrgypart.html,"]http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/wh-alrgypart.html,[/url] [url="http://www.nfpa-food.org/,"]http://www.nfpa-food.org/,[/url] [url="http://www.foodallergy.org"]http://www.foodallergy.org[/url] and [url="http://www.gmabrands.com/."]http://www.gmabrands.com/.[/url]

While the guidelines issued by the FDA and the food industry are somewhat helpful, they provide inconsistent guidance on certain issues, such as cross-contamination, and fail to address some issues altogether, such as natural flavors. Moreover, the food industry guidelines are completely unenforceable. As such, these guidelines are not an adequate substitute for the regulations sought in the AGs' petition. On August 13, 2001, the FDA is hosting a Public Meeting on the Labeling of Foods Containing Allergens. This meeting presents a great opportunity to tell the FDA that it is not doing enough to ensure the safety of the food supply for those who suffer from food allergies. Registration forms will be available on the FDA website (address above) for those who wish to attend. For those who cannot attend, a letter in support of the AGs' petition would be greatly appreciated. Please direct your letters to Joseph A. Levitt, Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, Federal Building 8, Room 6815, 200 C Street, SW, Mailstop HFS-001, Washington, DC 20204 Thank you for your help!

[This message has been edited by Colleen's Mom (edited July 24, 2001).]