By Amber BurkeySamdin
News about food allergies
Food allergies make the news a lot lately. There have been movements to safeguard those with allergies by implementing laws such as making sure daycare and preschool workers are trained on how to safely care for children who have food allergies. Training would include knowing what to do to prevent reactions and how to respond in case of an anaphylactic reaction with administering epinephrine injections (Epi-pen). One such law, called “Elijah’s Law,” was passed in September 2019 in New York. The impetus for this law came after daycare workers gave a child with a dairy allergy a grilled cheese sandwich and then failed to notify parents or call 911 when an anaphylactic reaction occurred resulting in the tragic death of 3-year old Elijah Silvera.
Food allergies-related regulations
In California, the Natalie Giorgi Sunshine Act (AB 1532) was passed in 2019 to require all food handlers to have training in safe food handling practices for major food allergens. This law added organized camps to the definition of a food facility. This law was advocated for by parents of a 13-year old girl Natalie Giorgi who had a fatal allergic reaction to undeclared peanuts in food given to her at a summer camp.
Major food allergies
Currently there are eight major food allergens that are required to be on all packaged food labels. These include milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and crustacean shellfish. There is a growing movement asking the FDA to expand this list to include sesame which is on the rise as the ninth most common food allergy in the U.S. Sesame is an ingredient that can easily go undetected in many food products. Common sesame ingredients include sesame seeds, sesame oil, and tahini. Some items to be wary of include sauces, dips like hummus, crackers, and breads. Sesame can even be found in some cosmetics, medications, and supplements. Those with an allergy to sesame believe policy to require labeling could significantly reduce the number of allergic reactions inadvertently caused. The requirement for disclosing whether sesame is a content of vaguely labelled “natural flavoring” added to foods would also be a huge step forward in keeping people with sesame allergies safe.
What can dietitians do?
As dietitians, we can advocate for our patients by supporting food allergy awareness and strict policies to prevent cross contact of allergens in food facilities even down to schools, daycare centers, and summer camps. Teaching our patients how to read food labels and advocate for themselves when eating out are some ways we can help them stay safe. Further, we can help them find alternative sources of nutrients such as calcium for those with cow’s milk allergy. We can help empower our clients to ask to look at food labels or recipes when eating at a friend’s house or at a school event. Food is such a big part of life that connects us to each other and no one should have to feel alone or isolated because they have food allergies.
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