You can just label it as "might contain traces of X due to cross contamination". At least that's how they do it in Europe.
FDA warns top U.S. bakery not to claim foods contain allergens when they don't
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Re: FDA warns top U.S. bakery not to claim foods contain allergens when they don't
#12Doing the right thing would be a lot cheaper in the long run because a lot of people have mental problems from diet issues.
Subsidies for common allergens that become cheap filler is another part of the epidemic.
Re: FDA warns top U.S. bakery not to claim foods contain allergens when they don't
#13It's may favorite example of unintended consequences. FDA orders bakers to list allergens. There are stiff penalties if you are allergenic but don't list the allergen. So? Bakers claim their product contains allergens, even if they don't. FDA doesn't like it. So? Bakers add allergens on purpose, so they can rightly claim it contains them.
California proposition 65 is the classic example. Since it requires buildings to warn visitors if they contain cancer-causing substances, and since no landlord can possibly know every substance that even tenant or visitor might have, every building has a "this building may or may not contain cancer-causing substances" placard.
It's surreal and awesome.
Re: FDA warns top U.S. bakery not to claim foods contain allergens when they don't
#14Re: FDA warns top U.S. bakery not to claim foods contain allergens when they don't
#15This seems like splitting hairs on the part of the FDA.
FDA officials acknowledged Tuesday that statements that a product “may contain” certain allergens “could be considered truthful and not misleading.” Bimbo officials have until July 8 to identify steps taken to remedy the issue — or to explain why the labeling doesn't violate FDA standards.
So a baker.. who adds (insert allergy ingredient here), in minute quantity so they can legally say it contains it, is still in the wrong because that product does not normally contain said ingredient?
What is a baker to do? I think it is wholly unreasonable to say a baker cannot say on the product that the product may contain traces of an ingredient, when they cannot 100% say it does not. This just seems like splitting hairs and unnecessarily penalizing the baker.
We should want a food maker to list all possible allergens that could be present, not just are present in the foods.
Re: FDA warns top U.S. bakery not to claim foods contain allergens when they don't
#16I used to work in a cookie factory, we often made products for private brands and in some recipes we purposefully added eggs so that it would appear as an ingredient and not "may contain traces of".
Re: FDA warns top U.S. bakery not to claim foods contain allergens when they don't
#17It's may favorite example of unintended consequences. FDA orders bakers to list allergens. There are stiff penalties if you are allergenic but don't list the allergen. So? Bakers claim their product contains allergens, even if they don't. FDA doesn't like it. So? Bakers add allergens on purpose, so they can rightly claim it contains them.
The next iteration will be adding 1 mg of almond flour, 1 mg of peanuts, and 1 mg milk to every ton of dough they make. Then it really will have the allergens.
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Re: FDA warns top U.S. bakery not to claim foods contain allergens when they don't
#18It's may favorite example of unintended consequences. FDA orders bakers to list allergens. There are stiff penalties if you are allergenic but don't list the allergen. So? Bakers claim their product contains allergens, even if they don't. FDA doesn't like it. So? Bakers add allergens on purpose, so they can rightly claim it contains them.
I don't know in the US (though it is mentioned at the end of the article) but here, UK, they tend to warn to the product "may contain ..." if there is any chance of contamination and that indeed appears a lot on bakery products and sandwiches.
I believe that was the status quo until now.
Re: FDA warns top U.S. bakery not to claim foods contain allergens when they don't
#19It's may favorite example of unintended consequences. FDA orders bakers to list allergens. There are stiff penalties if you are allergenic but don't list the allergen. So? Bakers claim their product contains allergens, even if they don't. FDA doesn't like it. So? Bakers add allergens on purpose, so they can rightly claim it contains them.
Now the FDA is saying adding those allergens on purpose is wrong. Figuratively, it's nuts. I suspect this will end up in court.
Re: FDA warns top U.S. bakery not to claim foods contain allergens when they don't
#20I used to work in a cookie factory, we often made products for private brands and in some recipes we purposefully added eggs so that it would appear as an ingredient and not "may contain traces of".
Any other interesting tidbits from working in a cookie factory? I'm genuinely curious.