過敏原:沒有犯錯的餘地

也許最明顯的跡象表明,這種情況需要關注全球幾乎每周的產品召回記錄列表的結果未申報材料或產品汙染。而且不隻是較小的食品公司,更加合理的生產程序,繼續下滑。僅在過去幾周,大玩家如在英國吉百利和全食超市在美國召回產品後不正確的標簽。每一個新回憶侵蝕消費者信心和製造商的利潤更多。但這並不僅僅是另一個用來獲取消費者忠誠度的營銷策略,提高銷售。也不是在同一個聯盟的辯論誤導毫無根據的健康功效宣傳或推廣產品,使我們發胖。雖然本身這兩個關鍵問題,過敏原坐一個級距的優先級階梯,因為當我們談論後死亡的風險一個營養滑動,甚至遭受嚴重損害生活質量,真的是沒有爭論的餘地。當然,食品行業在國際上已取得巨大進展,這十年,和消費者遭受過敏現在可以去超市比以往更廣泛的選擇和風險較小。新的標簽法規實施去年在美國需要八個主要食物過敏原的標簽用簡單的語言,牛奶,雞蛋,花生,樹堅果、魚類、貝類、小麥和大豆。歐洲更邁進了一步,基本上廢除一個駭人的“25%”的規則,這意味著一個複合成分由不到25%的成品(如香腸披薩)沒有列出其個人的成分。 But since 2005, products for sale in Europe must label 12 allergens, with an additional two shortly due to be added to the list. Australia and New Zealand also implemented new allergen labeling rules a few years earlier. However, one of the side effects of more stringent legislation has been a surge in the dubious 'May Contain' labeling. These warnings started with the very best intentions from the industry: a greater understanding of allergens led to a heightened sense of responsibility to indicate any measure of doubt. But this is a point where consumers and manufacturers simply don't understand each other. Manufacturers feel they are being responsible, while consumers feel they are opting for a legal cop-out. As a result, the labels are mistrusted and often ignored. Although most consumers just don't understand what goes on in food production plants, and the contamination risk involved when many products are manufactured on the same premises, their critique may occasionally hold true. The simple fact is that the proliferation of 'May Contain' labels must absolutely not take the place of good manufacturing practices. The UK has anticipated the issue with the imminent introduction of a voluntary allergen certification program. Funded by the nation's regulatory body – the Food Standards Agency – and coordinated by an allergy support charity – The Anaphylaxis Campaign – the new guidelines are due to be launched later this year. They involve comprehensive guidance for all systems and procedures that need to be implemented in manufacturing plants in order to minimize the risk of contamination or mislabeling. The result: safer products for consumers and less risk for manufacturers. Such guidelines are certainly an important next step and should act as an example to other regulatory bodies. So, far from feeling it has done enough, the industry needs to stay alert and responsive in order to best protect consumers and anticipate the next transition to providing safer products. Because although the US Food and Drug Administration claims its new labeling regulations address 90 percent of documented food allergies, that still leaves 10 percent of uncertainty. Food-induced allergies, quality of life or potentially even death should have nothing to do with numbers. We've come a long way in a short time – the first scientific papers linking allergies to death were only published in the 1980's. The food industry will again need to adjust its practices as more allergens come to be scientifically recognized. The sooner this is done, the softer the strike, and the happier the consumer.洛林海勒FoodNavigator-USA的編輯,是一個專業的作家在食品工業問題。有國際焦點,她生活和工作在英國,塞浦路斯和法國。如果你想要評論這篇文章,請電子郵件lorraine.heller特'decisionnews.com