Precautionary Allergen Labeling: Informing Consumers or Just Covering Your Assets?

RUMP ROAST

2 lbs. 5 oz. (1.13kg) Keep refrigerated

INGREDIENTS: 100% beef.

Nut-free. Gluten-free. Soy-free. Fish-free.

MAY CONTAIN: nuts, gluten, egg, peanut, soy, milk, celery, mustard, sesame, fish, mollusks.

NOT SUITABLE FOR CUSTOMERS WITH AN ALLERGY TO: cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut), crustaceans, egg, fish, peanut, soy, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, mollusks.

The VITAL® Program 10 “Musts” of Allergen Management

This product is packaged in a facility that processes other products that may contain soy, dairy products, wheat, nuts, shellfish, fish, peanuts, eggs and may contain traces of the above.

ALLERGEN INFORMATION:

Consumers with food allergies or other sensitivities should review the ingredients carefully.

Spot On is a publication of Romer Labs Division Holding GmbH, distributed free-of-charge.

ISSN: 2414-2042

Editors:

Joshua Davis, Cristian Ilea

Contributors:

Jasmine Lacis-Lee, Adrian Rogers, Martin Candia

Graphic:

GraphX ERBER AG

Research: Kurt Brunner

Publisher:

Romer Labs Division Holding GmbH Erber Campus 1

3131 Getzersdorf, Austria

Tel: +43 2782 803 0 www.romerlabs.com

©Copyright

4-7

Informing the Consumer or Just Covering Your Assets? A Science-Based Approach to Precautionary Allergen Labelling

What is actually behind all those “may contain” labels you see in grocery stores? Romer Labs Senior Research Scientist Adrian Rogers discusses trends in precautionary labelling and introduces the VITAL® Program as a tool to providing realistic risk assessment for food producers.

By Adrian Rogers

, Senior

Research Scientist, Romer Labs®

8-11

Beyond Due Diligence: 10 “Musts” of Allergen Management

Identify, measure, minimize, control, eliminate: food allergen management isn’t easy, but it has to be done, all without interrupting production. Martin Candia of Romer Labs summarizes 10 essential aspects of food allergen management that no program can do without.

By Martin Candia, Product Manager, Romer Labs®

Making Allergen Information Work for the Consumer

Relevant, consistent and easy-to-understand information on food allergens is essential for consumers. Helping the food industry provide such information is central to the mission of the Allergen Bureau, on whose board I serve. Since 2002, legislation in Australia and New Zealand, where the Allergen Bureau is most active, has required food manufacturers to label for mandatory allergens, thus bringing different approaches to precautionary labelling for cross-contact allergens to the fore.

In our experience, many organizations still struggle with how to approach the implementation of allergen management while obtaining the business commitment required in their facilities. This is compounded by the increasing cost of manufacturing, a more pronounced lack of technical expertise in the quality and product development departments, and other financial constraints. We consistently see businesses around the globe using blanket precautionary statements to alert the allergic consumer that there “may” be a potential crosscontact issue. However, in many cases, this is not based on a scientific risk assessment process.

To address this issue, the Allergen Bureau developed the Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling (VITAL®) Program, a standardized allergen risk assessment process, which has been in use in the food industry not only in Australia and New Zealand, but also more and more frequently in companies around the world. To further support allergic consumers, the Allergen Bureau is now working towards the development of the VITAL® certification scheme, designed to communicate to consumers the safety of a product.

In this issue of Spot On, Romer Labs Senior Research Scientist Adrian Rogers discusses in further detail the Allergen Bureau’s VITAL® Program and the science behind it. Martin Candia provides a short guide to the key areas for consideration when establishing an allergen management plan.

The Allergen Bureau welcomes the continued collaboration with Romer Labs to increase further the awareness of the resources and support that the Allergen Bureau provides the food industry globally as we move toward an educated, more allergen-conscious food industry, providing safe products for all consumers.

Jasmine Lacis-Lee Honorary Secretary & Company Secretary, The Allergen Bureau