Nita Lowey, D-NY, said she would introduce legislation dealing with labeling of allergens. FDA, the food industry, and consumer groups also are working on new guidelines to ensure that industry practices are effective in providing accurate labeling for the presence of allergens in food.
The National Food Processors Assn. released a statement declaring that current industry practices reflect FDA’s policy statement and that the industry has taken the lead in developing manufacturing practices designed to avoid unlabeled allergens in foods and to ensure label accuracy. Legislation is unnecessary, NFPA said, because regulations governing ingredient listing on food labels are already in place and FDA has sufficient authority to enforce them. c
