Food Tree Consultancy
Follow us
  • Home
  • Our Services
    • Product Development, Labelling and Packaging
    • Food Quality, Hygiene and Safety
    • Food Manufacturing and Production
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Why Us
    • Join us
  • Contact Us
  • Blog

Blog

Latest news and information.

Home

Survey on "May Contain" labelling

4/11/2014

0 Comments

 
The Food Standards Agency has today published a nationwide snap-shot survey on a cross-section of pre-packed processed foods both with and without allergen advisory labelling.


The survey aimed to provide an improved understanding of the type of allergen advisory labelling used on pre-packed processed foods in the UK and whether the labelling was related to the level of allergen present as a result of cross-contamination.

The survey examined the level of milk, gluten, peanut and hazelnut in products that were labelled with phrases including 'may contain X' or 'not suitable for someone with X allergy.' It also sampled products without this type of advisory labelling. In total, the survey sampled 1,016 samples across 12 different product categories.

FSA Food Allergy Research Manager, Sarah Hardy, said: 'Results from the survey suggest that cross contamination for all four allergens, is well controlled by manufacturers. In fact, undeclared allergen cross-contamination in the UK is lower than found in other countries.

'However, manufacturers need to regularly review their risk assessment and the application of precautionary allergen labelling to ensure that people with allergies are protected without unnecessarily restricting choice. We recommend that consumers should continue to recognise the importance of precautionary allergen labelling and should not put themselves at risk by ignoring it.

'The number of samples with advisory labelling but no detectable hazelnut or peanut was just below 50%. Only gluten and milk were present as cross-contamination without advisory labelling. However, the levels found in the products were low so the FSA did not consider it to be a risk for people with allergies.'

A wide variety of different statements were used across the product categories. The most frequently used advisory label was 'may contain traces' in 38% of products. While the survey found a wide variety of allergen advisory labelling, only 28% of products followed FSA advice in the use of specific phraseology that advises using 'may contain X' or 'not suitable for someone with an X allergy.' These two statements were found on 20.6% and 7.2% of products, respectively.

Full survey report Survey of allergen labelling and allergen content of processed foods The survey examined the type of allergen advisory labelling present on pre-packed processed foods sold in the UK, and aimed to quantify the level of allergens resulting from cross-contamination and establish whether the type of advisory labelling used related to the level of allergen present.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    It is time to give everybody a chance to understand what we are consuming every single day.

    Categories

    All
    Allergens
    Food Policy

    Archives

    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013

    RSS Feed