Food allergens, dangerous mystery. Food Allergy Italia launches the #DetectiveFood project, in collaboration with FT (Food Times) and Italian consumAtors. A bottom-up survey to collect images of food labels, bulk food sales signs, menus and registers in public establishments where allergens are missing or inadequately indicated to accurately inform allergic consumers. All hands on deck!
Food allergens, the dutiful news on the label
Beginning in 2003, the European legislature introduced a duty to specifically inform, on all food labels, about the presence of a number of substances capable of causing allergies or intolerances, now listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No. 1169/11. The duty is extended to cases where allergens are present in a derived form (e.g., whey) or in traces, albeit due to unintentional contamination (so-called ‘cross contamination‘).
Labels must in all cases specifically state the individual allergens in the food. These should be highlighted graphically so that they are identified at a glance. It is forbidden to use generic claims (e.g., 00 flour), as well as to designate the individual allergenic ingredient by the category name (e.g., nuts, cereals containing gluten).
The indication ‘may contain‘ must be equally precise in reporting only those allergens whose presence cannot be excluded, due to accidental contamination, despite the scrupulous application of self-control (good hygienic practices and HACCP). References to ‘traces of.‘, as such wording is devoid of legal (as well as scientific) meaning and may mislead consumers. And it is strictly forbidden to use locutions such as ‘
Produced in a factory where there are
(o ‘
work is being done) .
.’ Since the information must come to refer to individual food products and not to the establishments where they are prepared.
Food allergens, the dutiful news on sales signs and menus
The signs displayed
next to foods sold in bulk
(e.g. in cafeterias-pastry shops, bakeries and delis, ice cream parlors, vending machines
) must communicate with equal specificity the presence of allergens on each individual product for sale.
Menus and/or the appropriate registers available to consumers in bars, pizzerias, restaurants And inns, canteens, fast-food and other public establishments, including street vendors (ex. food truck) and caterers, must in turn specify which allergens are present in each of the foods.
#DetectiveFood, the bottom-up survey.
The #DetectiveFood project aims to carry out a Europe-wide ‘bottom-up survey’ through the coordination of EFA (European Federation of Allergy and airways diseases Patients Association). Each of us is invited to participate by collecting circumstantial images of correct and incorrect information regarding the presence of allergens in individual food products for sale (whether packaged, pre-wrapped or sold in bulk). As well as on the menus and records of communities (public establishments, canteens, catering).
Let’s all put ourselves in the shoes of an allergic consumer, at least for a day. To realize how difficult it still is to understand whether the foods and foods we are offered are safe in case of allergies to any of the 14 substances and ingredients listed in Annex II of the ‘Food Information Regulation‘ (EU reg. 1169/11). Dwelling, in particular, on:
1) labels lacking information, or with unclear information about the presence of allergens (e.g., ‘contains gluten‘. What cereal?),
2) overly generic signs or menus, where reference is made to the possible presence of allergens that have nothing to do with the type of establishment (e.g., ‘may contain… fish, shellfish, molluscs‘ in a bakery or ice cream shop),
3) Food sold or served without packaging and/or without allergen information.
#DetectiveFood, how to participate in the survey.
To participate in #DetectiveFood we are all invited to:
– Take a picture of the food with its label, or sign or menu,
– Report the brand name of the food or the name of the place/restaurant where you saw or bought it,
– Give the city, the name of the store or public establishment and its address,
– email the information to
detectivefooditalia@gmail.com
#DetectiveFood, the next steps.
The bottom-up survey aspires to collect at least 10 to 15 reports for each category of the following products:
– Baked goods (bread, pizza, crackers, breadsticks, rusks, snacks, cookies, cakes, snacks)
– meat preparations and meat products
,
– vegetarian and vegan foods
,
– baby food,
– ice cream,
– sweets,
– drinks.
As many reports are expected on:
– Sales signs/records/ingredient books,
– Menus of restaurants and public establishments.
The information will be collected with the dual objectives of bringing out good labeling practices, which facilitate and improve the quality of life for allergy sufferers, and reporting irregularities to the relevant authorities. (1)
Participate in large numbers, only then can we make everyone’s voice heard and end discrimination against the most vulnerable!
Updates will follow, on FT (Food Times) and on FoodAllergyItalia’s Facebook page.
#Égalité!
Dario Dongo and Marcia Podesta
Notes
(1) For more information on allergen labeling and related penalties-administrative and criminal-refer to our ebook ‘1169 penis. Food news, inspections and penalties‘, at https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/libri/1169-pene-e-book-gratuito-su-delitti-e-sanzioni-nel-food
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
Marcia Podestà, lawyer, MMR, IT Law, founder and President of Food Allergy Italia, member of all international organizations dealing with food allergy and anaphylaxis (IFAAA, POC of the EAACI, EFA, GAAPP, EAT European Anaphylaxis Task Force) .
