FSIS released new guidelines to assist meat, poultry and processed egg product producers.

 Allergic reactions to food range from itchy hives to anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially life-threatening condition. 

USDA released a new report detailing discoveries by USDA researchers that have led to new patents and inventions with the potential for commercial applications. The innovations highlighted in this year’s report include allergen-free solutions for peanut and wheat allergy sufferers as well as a process for faster egg pasteurization.

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.

Louisiana-based Big Easy Foods Louisiana Cuisine, Inc. issued a recall of approximately 93,006 pounds of both raw and cooked stuffed chicken product due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen, according to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The poultry products contain wheat, a known allergen which is not declared on the product label.

This week, May 10-16, marks Food Allergy Awareness Week, a time to focus public awareness on food allergy, a condition that affects an estimated 5 percent of children and 4 percent of adults in the US.

New York-based Golden Krust Patties has issued a recall for more than nine million pounds of beef and chicken products because of misbranding and undeclared allergens. 

 In the last decade, the cases of food allergies have doubled, and the number of hospitalizations caused by severe allergic reactions has increased seven-fold. 

A new study suggests introducing peanut products into the diets of infants who are at high risk of developing a peanut allergy is not only safe, but leads to an 81 percent reduction in the development of the allergy.

A recent study from FDA that tested 100 dark chocolate products found many of the sweet treats contained milk despite a lack of clarity on the food label.