FDA has finalized its labeling rules for foods containing allergens—including common types such as milk, eggs, peanuts and shellfish—which allows food manufacturers to qualify for a labeling exemption if they can prove an ingredient is modified so that it no longer presents a risk to allergic consumers.
The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) of 2004 requires food labels to identify products containing major food allergens (milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans). But manufacturers have proven to be able to modify these ingredients in a way that would neutralize any threat. These modifications may provide consumers who have a specific allergy with more foods to choose from, without fear of inducing an allergic reaction.