SGS: Differing Allergen Labelling Regulations is Increasing Consumer Confusion

3 Mar 2014 --- Overuse of precautionary labelling, caused by uncertainty about allergen thresholds and control issues, causes confusion to customers, according to a recent survey. The ‘Current Industry Practices on Allergen Control and Management’ survey, released by SGS on 28 February 2014, was completed by food businesses in 46 different countries.

The data from each of these countries has highlighted a lack of consensus on universally agreed acceptable levels for allergens.

“This means that allergen risks are interpreted in different ways across industry leading to the over-use of the fail-safe but precautionary labelling,” explained Dr Evangelia Komitopoulou, the global technical manager of food at SGS. “Not only does this add to consumer confusion but it also forces consumers to largely ignore the labels putting them at extra risk. At the same time, differing allergen-labeling regulations have increased operational complexity. As a result, labelling errors and product recalls have increased, reinforcing the need for harmonization across national boundaries.”

The survey indicated that about 29% of respondents do not have a corporate system in place. Developed both in-house (43.5%) and in cooperation with external consultants (42%), allergen control/ management systems cover a range of aspects. More than three quarters of respondents indicated that their system incorporated raw ingredient handling, 67% the manufacturing process, 59% labelling and 56% facility and equipment design. However, just 29.5% consider the risk of packaging as a source of allergens and 59% do not verify the allergenic state of packaging materials used in direct contact with raw ingredients.

Unsurprisingly, HACCP is the most popular allergen management tool in current use (73%), followed by risk assessment (57%) and traceability (56%). Two thirds of respondents also identified HACCP as a key part of their training on allergen management. The industry’s approach to allergen management, based on the classis HACCP concept, significantly reduces allergen risk by implementing appropriate controls (e.g. segregation, sanitation, traceability across the supply chain). However, the absence of defined allergen threshold levels means all allergens are treated as posing the same level of risk.

A quarter of respondents rely solely on supplier information to determine the presence of absence of allergens in raw ingredients, without taking any additional precautionary measures. The majority of respondents (75%) do have internal procedures to verify/ validate supplier claims. These include reviewing certificates of analysis (56%), vendor questionnaires (42%), third party testing (41%) and ad hoc sampling of finished products (24%).

SGS is a leading global inspection, verification, testing and certification company. The organisation will publish a white paper Allergen Management as Part of Safe Global Food Supply, in April 2014. The publication will highlight challenges and trends in allergen management with a focus on key elements of an effective allergen control plan.

In the UK the rules for pre-packed foods establish a list of 14 food allergens, which have to be indicated by reference to the source allergen whenever they, or ingredients made from them, are used at any level in pre-packed foods, including alcoholic drinks. The list consists of cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, molluscs, eggs, fish, peanuts, nuts, soybeans, milk, celery, mustard, sesame, lupin and sulphur dioxide at levels above 10mg/kg or 10 mg/litre, expressed as SO2.

Allergen rules in European Directives will be changing in December 2014. The new labelling will build on current allergen labelling provisions for prepacked foods and will introduce a new requirement for allergen information to be provided for foods sold non-packed or prepacked for direct sale.

By Sonya Hook