Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — Sesame has joined the list of major food allergens defined by law, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The change, which went into effect January 1, is a result of the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research Act, or FASTER, which passed into law in April of 2021.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was considering placing sesame seeds on the list of major food allergens, which also included milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans.
The addition of sesame to the list of major food allergens means that foods containing it will be subject to specific regulatory requirements for food allergens, including labeling and processing requirements.
Sesame allergy affects people of all ages and its symptoms can manifest as cough, itchy throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, rashes in the mouth, shortness of breath, wheezing and low blood pressure, according to the specialist. in allergies, immunologist and attending physician of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA, Dr. Robert Iches, in an interview with CNN in 2020.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website, the agency conducts tests and takes samples from food products to verify that major food allergens are properly labeled on product labels and to determine whether food establishments prevent the mixing of allergens. .
“This means that as of January 1, 2023, life will improve for the 1.6 million Americans who have a life-threatening allergy due to food allergies,” said Jason Lind, senior vice president of government and community affairs for the food allergy. Research and training. Sesame”.
The organization, a private funder of food allergy research, helped pass the FASTER Act.
Lind noted that sesame is found in “dozens of ingredients,” but it wasn’t always listed by name.
“For many years, people with a life-threatening sesame allergy had to look behind the label and contact the manufacturer,” said Lind. “If (sesame) is listed, it is considered a natural seasoning or flavoring.”
Lind said the new law is “a huge victory for the food allergy community.”
