If you have a food allergy, you know the best way to avoid a reaction is to avoid the food you are allergic to (your allergens). Here are some suggestions to help you decipher tricky food labels.
• Always read the label – Once you find a food that is “safe” for you, don’t assume you can always trust it. Unfortunately, manufacturers are constantly making “improvements” to foods, which means they are changing the ingredients. So don’t trust that a food you bought last month is still allergen-free. Read the label every time before you purchase the product.
• Regional differences - If you travel or move to a different part of the country, be aware that there may be differences in production practices between plants that are owned by the same manufacturer. So don’t assume a food that is safe in Arizona is equally safe in Missouri. Double-check the label to be sure.
• Size differences - Recipes for different quantities or sizes of an item may call for slightly different ingredients. Read the label on the actual product package you intend to buy.
• Missing label - If you have an item that does not have a food list and that is marked “Not Labeled for Individual Sale” that means it came out of a larger package. Look on the bigger box or bag to find the list.
• Top 8 labeling - If you are allergic to one or more of the top 8 allergens (dairy, eggs, soy, wheat, shellfish, fish, tree nuts, or crustacean shellfish) you should have a slightly easier time reading labels than if your allergen is less common. Since January 1, 2006, the United States Food and Drug Administration requires that any of the top eight food allergens must be listed in plain language, either in the body of the ingredient list, or in bold type at the end of the list.
• Less common labeling - If your allergen is not one of the top eight, you must be very careful to look not only for the simple name of the allergen, but also for any foods or other flavorings that could be hidden sources of your allergen. Research all the names your allergen could be listed as and take the list with you when you shop so you can double check all the ingredients.
• Don’t trust the front of the box –The FDA does not have specific rules to control how manufacturers use phrases such as “dairy-free”. While you are less likely to find the actual ingredient in the list if the front of the box claims it isn’t there, you may find that the product is not truly safe because other foods containing your allergen are produced on the same equipment or line.
• Watch out for flavorings – Although manufacturers are supposed to disclose any potential allergens on the label, it is very difficult to tell what might be hiding behind words like spices, flavorings, natural flavorings, modified food starch, or dextrin. If you have any doubts, call the manufacturer for a more exact list of those ingredients.
Despite the best intentions of manufacturers, mistakes in labeling and in production do occur. You can help protect yourself and your family by signing up for recall or allergen alerts. You can get on the list with either the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to receive email or RSS feed notifications in case a food allergen warning or alert is issued.
Sign up for Allergy Alerts
U.S. FDA Allergen Alerts
Canadian Allergen Alerts
Sources:
About.com: Food Allergies
Kids with Food Allergies
Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network Food Label List