How will FDA make sure food manufacturers adhere to the new labeling regulations?
As a part of its routine regulatory functions, FDA inspects a variety of packaged foods to ensure that they are properly labeled. • What is cross-contact? Cross-contact is the inadvertent introduction of an allergen into a product. It is generally the result of environmental exposure during processing or handling, which may occur when multiple foods are produced in the same facility. It may occur due to use of the same processing line, through the misuse of rework, as the result of ineffective cleaning, or from the generation of dust or aerosols containing an allergen. • Are mislabeled food products removed from the market? Yes. A food product that contains an undeclared allergen may be subject to recall. In addition, a food product that is not properly labeled may be misbranded and subject to seizure and removed from the market place. The number of recalls due to undeclared allergens (8 of the most common allergens only) remained steady between 1999 and 2001. In 2002, recall actions n
