U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service
Releases New Guide to Help Food Processors Control Potential
Allergens, Other Hazards
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[November 18, 2015]
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2015 – The U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
has released new guidelines to assist meat, poultry, and processed
egg product producers in properly managing ingredients that could
trigger adverse reactions among consumers with allergies or other
sensitivities.
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“Our mission as a public health agency is to protect America’s
most vulnerable populations, including children, from harm, and
these new guidelines do just that,” said USDA Deputy Under
Secretary for Food Safety Al Almanza. “Beyond keeping our
families safe, these guidelines also provide a useful tool to
help food companies avoid preventable, costly recalls.”
Food allergens are a public health issue impacting millions of
Americans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
estimates that two percent of adults, and four to eight percent
of children, in the United States have food allergies. Food
allergens can cause serious symptoms and can result in
anaphylaxis, a potentially life threatening reaction.
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Over the last several years, in part due to new actions by FSIS,
there has been an increase in recalls of FSIS regulated products
due to undeclared allergens. These problems often are caught by
FSIS inspectors during labeling checks and are the result of
changes to ingredient suppliers, products being placed in the
wrong package, or changes to product or ingredient formulations.
By following these new guidelines, establishments are more
likely to ensure that product labels declare all ingredients, as
required by law, and that products do not contain undeclared
allergens or other undeclared ingredients. The guidance covers
prevention and control measures of potentially allergic
ingredients, packaging, labeling, storage, checklists, and
allergen training, among others.
The finalized guidelines are part of FSIS’ comprehensive and
ongoing efforts to reduce the number of allergen-related
recalls. In April 2015, FSIS inspectors met with management at
every FSIS-regulated establishment in the country to discuss
whether the establishment produces items containing allergens,
and, if so, whether the establishment had a process in place to
ensure proper labeling. FSIS inspectors then increased the
number of allergen labeling-related inspection checks they
conduct in these establishments in order to ensure products are
properly labeled. The Agency believes that this action has made
plants more conscious of properly labeling their products and
prevented additional recalls this year.
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The guidelines can be found online at:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/AllergenGuide
Over the past six years, USDA has collaborated extensively with
other federal partners to safeguard America's food supply, prevent
foodborne illnesses and improve consumers' knowledge about the food
they eat. USDA’s FSIS is working to strengthen federal food safety
efforts and develop strategies that emphasize a three-dimensional
approach to prevent foodborne illness: prioritizing prevention;
strengthening surveillance and enforcement; and improving response
and recovery.
Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS
virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or
via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and
Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in
English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m.
(Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages
are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer
Complaint Monitoring System can also be accessed 24 hours a day at:
www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.
[USDA Food Safety and Inspection
Service]
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