Food labelling

It is critical that individuals at risk of anaphylaxis and those caring for children at risk be aware of the importance of food labelling with regards to allergies.

1. It is important to read food ingredient labels every time a product is purchased.

Food-allergic individuals and those buying for them are encouraged to read food ingredient labels three times:

Once when purchasing an item.
A second time when putting the product away.
A third time just before serving.

2. It is important to understand labelling regulations and their limitations.

While it is the responsibility of allergic consumers to always read food labels, confusion can be created by strong brand awareness and unfamiliarity with food labelling regulations.

Here are some examples that consumers need to be aware of:

Some popular brands that are widely recognized as being safe for allergic consumers may be used in other products that may contain peanut/tree nuts (e.g. peanut-free chocolate in ice cream which has a “may contain peanuts” warning).
It should not be assumed that all formats of an allergen-free product are safe. An allergen-free claim on certain products may be specific to only one size or format of the brand, not to all products using the same brand name.
Product formulations (recipes) may change and ingredients of a particular brand may not be the same in all formats or all sizes. For example, a regular size candy bar may be considered to be free of an allergen such as peanut; however, the snack size version could have a “may contain peanuts” warning.
Food labelling standards in other countries may not be the same as Canada’s. Imported products may pose a risk to allergic consumers. Researchers found that 62% of imported chocolate bars from Eastern Europe without a precautionary label actually contained detectable levels of peanut protein.¹

3. It is important to understand the meaning of precautionary warnings such as “may contain”.

These precautionary statements are put on by food manufacturers at their own discretion.

Products with a “may contain” warning could be problematic for individuals with life-threatening food allergies if ingested. If there is a warning, it is possible that the food contains traces of the allergen.

Food-allergic people should not eat products with a “may contain” warning with respect to their allergen(s).

Foods with a precautionary warning should not be an issue if they are consumed by non-allergic children in the presence of older children with food allergies.

Regular hand washing, cleansing of surfaces, and adult supervision of young children while eating are still advised as a precautionary measure.

Food Labelling or Pre-Packaged Food

Currently, some common allergen components (part of a part) can be legally undeclared and/or exempted from labelling requirements. Under proposed new labelling regulations for pre-packaged foods, foods with components that do not contain one of the common allergens will continue to be exempt from listing their derivatives as an ingredient. However, if a common allergen is a component part of an ingredient to be used in a mixture (e.g. milk contained in margarine to be added to a cake mix), it will have to be listed.

Currently, uncommon simple language for allergens is allowed on an ingredient list (e.g. albumin). With the new regulations, simple language will have to be used if the allergen is not part of the common name, e.g. casein (milk).

The proposed new labelling regulations in Canada are inteded to provide greater clarity in food labelling for individuals with food allergies. These are some of the labelling changes that will be included in new labelling regulations which are expected to be finalized in early 2010. Click here to visit the Health Canada website for additional information.

Vadas P, Perelman B. Presence of undeclared peanut protein in chocolate bars imported from Europe. Journal of Food Protection 2003, Vol. 66, No. 10, pp. 1932-1934.

Updated March 1, 2010