Sara Lee North American Retail is recalling approximately 1,728 pounds of cheese frankfurters produced on February 12, 2009 and shipped to distribution centers around the country.

The cheese frankfurters were accidentally packaged with the beef frank labels and therefore, milk is not listed as an ingredient on the label. Anyone with milk protein allergy or milk intolerance should not eat this product.

The package label reads “Ball Park Brand Beef Franks” and has the UPC code of “5450010002.” To see the label of the recalled product, click here.

The products are currently being removed from all store and warehouse shelves.

For the entire story, click here.

And contact the Sara Lee consumer affairs recall hotline at (888) 891-6100 if you have any questions.

- Christine
 

The weather is getting warmer and the flowers are beginning to bloom. It’s Spring time. I’m sure you are ready for the warm weather, but are you ready for an allergy-free Easter? Often, holidays like this one are hard for allergy parents. It’s tough to tell your little one that they can’t have the chocolate bunnies like the other children. However, by doing a few fun Easter activities, your child will have just as much fun as the rest of the children!

As we’ve said before, allergy parents should focus on the fun – not the food – during holidays. I was flipping through Parents magazine the other day, and came across a great idea for safely celebrating Easter. Have a tea party! While this might not sound like the traditional Easter celebration, it’s a great way to create a fun and exciting day for your little one.

Spend the day making decorations for the party. You can create name tags, invitations and fake flower bouquets. And of course, you can use plastic teacups for the drinks. For the food, focus on allergy-free treats. You can make your own sandwiches or cookies with allergen free ingredients. Check out this Web site for allergy-free recipes.

The traditional Easter egg hunt is another great way to get your children involved in the celebration. However, instead of filling the eggs with candy that could trigger a reaction, use stickers, bouncy balls or other fun toys.

For other great allergy-free Easter ideas, click here.

How are you having an allergy-free Easter? I’d love to hear your ideas.

- Nita

Recently, I wrote a guest blog for Gina Clowes of AllergyMoms.com. Click here to read my entry on the economic impact of food allergies.

- Sarah
 

A few months ago, my colleague wrote an a entry on a New York Time’s article that touted an increase in the misdiagnosis of food allergies. A similar study was presented this weekend at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology’s (AAAAI) annual meeting.

According to the study by David Fleischer, M.D. of National Jewish Health in Denver, common blood tests for food-specific serum IgE’s are often wrong and aren’t a good basis for restricting children’s diets. The study included supervising oral food challenges — in which children observed by professionals are fed increasing amounts of suspect foods over time to gauge their reactions. The study showed that 50 percent of the kids tested could tolerate foods they had been told to avoid.

To read more about the study, click here.

And if you have any questions, send them my way!

- Christine
 

I’ve been following the food allergy labeling debate for awhile now. Back in September, we blogged about a hearing held by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop a long-term strategy to clear up accidental-allergy warnings that are misleading consumers. According to a study released this weekend at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology’s annual meeting, this is still a safety concern for all food allergy parents.

The study found that a small number of food products with the “may contain” label actually do contain allergens. 5.3 percent of randomly selected grocery store food items with this label contained detectable levels of egg, milk or peanut and 2 percent of food products with no such warning also contained allergens. In all, 399 products were tested.

To read the entire US News & World Report article on the study, click here.

The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 required new labels for packaged foods containing major allergens, but the “may contain” labels were not covered in this Act.

As we’ve said before, be very vigilant when purchasing food products for your little ones that you have not made yourself. Unfortunately, potential allergens may still be in a food product, even if it’s not on the label.

On a positive note, President Obama has vowed to help with food safety in his recent weekly address. He announced his appointments to the FDA and covered the recent salmonella scare in the Georgia peanut plan. Click here to check out a Wall Street Journal article on the topic.

Any questions or comments? I’d love to hear them.

- Nita