The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) marks the first time the U.S. government has passed labeling rules regarding allergens.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) new labeling law seeks to end any consumer confusion about whether or not a product contains one or more of the eight major food allergens:  milk, egg, fish, crustacean (shellfish), tree nuts, peanut, wheat and soy beans.  FALCPA applies to any food that is labeled on or after January 1, 2006. 

To alleviate confusion about a product's allergens or how they are labeled, FALCPA defines mandatory rules for labeling foods that contain allergenic substances.  If a food possesses one of the eight major allergens, the ingredient list must clearly define this ingredient in one of two ways:

               (1)  The allergenic ingredients must be printed immediately after or adjacent to the ingredient listing in a type size no smaller than the ingredient listing type size.

               (2)  Within the ingredient listing and in parenthetical form, food manufacturers must label the major allergen source that the ingredient is derived from.

However, products may be cross-contaminated or mis-labeled; therefore, click on FAAN's Special Allergy ALERT NOTICES for lists of recalled products or click on Kids with Food Allergies Food Allergy ALERTS for a list of recalled products that have been identified.
 
In additon, the new labeling law does NOT require manufacturers to list any allergens that were previously manufactured or packaged on the same manufacturing or packaging lines. 
             Therefore, we recommend to call the food manufacturer, state your food allergies and ask about:
(1)   If the product is run on a dedicated manufacturing and packing lines.
(2)   The possibility of cross-contamination in the manufacturing process.
(3)   The possibility of cross-contamination in the packing process.
(4)   The possibility of trace amounts of any of your food allergis.
(5)   If product is cultured and any foods you are allergic to.
(6)   If the manufacturer receives letters of certification from their raw supplier as to the absence of trace food allergens.

For products packaged before January 1. 2006--Click on the following food allergen for a printable version of information on reading ingredient labels and remember to call the food manufacturer with additional questions concerning their manufacturing and packing lines.

                                                  PEANUTS

                                                            TREE NUTS

                                                             EGG 

                                                             MILK 

                                                                           WHEAT

                                                                            SHELLFISH

                                                              SOY