| |
|
|
from the issue of December 2, 2004
|
| |
|
|
| |
Scientist: New food law could cause confusion
IANR NEWS SERVICE
Depending on how it's interpreted, a new law designed to help the roughly 12 million Americans suffering from food allergies may cause them some grief, a UNL food scientist said.
The federal Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 requires that by 2006, food manufacturers must clearly state on the label if a product contains any of eight major food allergens: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat and soy. Proteins in those foods are responsible for 90 percent of food allergies.
Steve Taylor, a professor in UNL's Department of Food Science and Technology, said for the most part, the law will help consumers identify products that contain food allergens.
"A good example is casein, which is a milk protein. If you see 'casein' on a food label, you may or may not know that it means the product contains milk. This law means that it clearly has to state that milk is in the product," said Taylor, who co-directs the university's Food Allergy Research and Resource Program.
But unless provisions are made, the act could become a nightmare for food-allergy sufferers, Taylor said.
"The law says all ingredients have to be labeled by source," Taylor said. "That could mean that a food even with a very trivial amount of one of those ingredients - which would be very unlikely to cause an allergic reaction - would have to have the allergen listed as an ingredient."
For example, nearly all commercial baked goods producers use lecithin, a soy product, as an anti-sticking agent, much like consumers use cooking spray. Lecithin contains minuscule amounts of soy protein, which is what causes the allergic reaction, Taylor said.
"Such small amounts are used, the levels are likely very safe," he said.
However, if the law as passed by Congress was interpreted strictly by the Food and Drug Administration, any product with soy lecithin would have to have soy listed in the ingredients, leaving allergic consumers to wonder about its potential effects.
Congress exempted only one class of food ingredients from labeling: highly refined vegetable oils derived from known allergenic sources, Taylor said. That's because studies including recent research by UNL food scientists showed that these oils contain only traces of protein. These amounts do not cause allergic symptoms in soy- or peanut-allergic individuals.
GO TO: ISSUE OF DECEMBER 2
NEWS HEADLINES FOR DECEMBER 2
Hanson is Professor of Year
Century Club offers networking, support for faculty
Treves plays major role in growth of geosciences
A Piece of University History
'Real Nebraska' movie contest begins online
Scientist: New food law could cause confusion
Symposium discusses: Are we rusting?
731917S33966X
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|