Word: allergen
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...only foolproof way to identify a food allergy is to do an oral food challenge, in which patients eat a variety of foods, some of which contain small amounts of the allergen. If the patient reacts, then he or she is definitely allergic. However, such tests are time consuming and can be done only in specialized medical facilities...
...when it comes to food allergies, many American parents - as well as the government and the food industry - prefer to play it safe. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, which went into effect in 2006, calls for a zero-tolerance policy, meaning that manufacturers must declare whether their products contain even the tiniest amounts of allergens. Given that modern food flavorings and additives contain so many components, it's unusual to find a food product that has no trace amounts of allergens, even if the main ingredients do not contain them. "Nearly 30% to 40% of food recalls...
Fueling that trend is rapidly evolving technology that helps detect microscopic, seemingly insignificant amounts of allergen protein in foods. Whenever that happens, the FDA can order a recall...
...part, is sticking with its present standards. But discussions are in progress to determine whether thresholds can be established for each allergen, as the E.U. is doing, says Luccioli. "The [current policy] is that there is no such thing as a minimum threshold. If you can detect [allergens], then it's not a safe level," he says...
...peanut butter." And he's not alone. A study by Sicherer in 2007 found that 75% of food-allergic people ignored these labels when shopping, unsure exactly how great the danger of cross-contamination was. The same study also found that 1 in 10 products tested actually contained the allergen noted in the warning on the packaging...