ABC News is planning a television segment on food allergy labeling and advisory labeling laws and would like to speak with allergy families. Specifically, the network would like to interview families who have a child who has had an allergic reaction from mis-labeled or non-labeled packaged food items since 2006.

The segment will air in March, in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

If you are interested, please send a brief description of your family’s experience and your contact information (email, phone number, address) to Barbara Rosenstein, director of communications for the Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) at media@faiusa.org or 212-207-1998 by tomorrow, February 3rd.

- Nita
 

I know, I know. This is not a big surprise, especially since the brand name contains the word ‘milk,’ and there is an image of milk on the wrapper. However, to comply with labeling laws, Cadbury announced that it is adding warnings to its Dairy Milk Chocolate wrappers and to its Dairy Milk Whole Nut bars.

If you’re not familiar with the story, check out this clip from foodqualitynews.com.

The company is adding a warning “to inform milk-allergic potential customers” that its products contain milk.

While this might be obvious, we all know food labels can be tricky and I personally think this is a step in the right direction for food allergy labeling. And with the FDA still in the process of developing a long-term labeling strategy, it’s nice to see companies already responding to their food-allergic children and their parents. Click here to read an entry I wrote a few months ago on this topic.

As an allergy parent, how do you feel about Cadbury’s labels? I’d love to know!

- Christine
 

How many times have you been to a grocery store or a restaurant, and read a vague warning note that says, “This product may contain peanuts?” As an allergy parent, I’m sure you’ve noticed these not so direct labels quite a bit.

Recently, there has been a lot of coverage over the confusion that allergy labeling is causing. And I know this is frustrating! All you want to know is, can my child eat this, yes or no? Lucky for you, and for all allergy parents out there, the FDA is holding a hearing today, September 16, to discuss setting allergy labeling standards (right now, allergy warnings are voluntary).

This hearing could not have come at a better time. Parents are so befuddled that many of them are just ignoring food labels altogether. It seems that most allergy parents hold the opinion these days that the safest thing you can do for your allergy prone little one is to cook everything at home from scratch. However, this is not feasible or practical for many busy families.

Here are a few tips on avoiding the confusion:
- Do your research at home – find a list of products you KNOW are allergen free.

- Air on the side of caution – if a product says, “Made in a factory with milk,” and your child has a milk protein allergy, stay away from it. You are better off buying a product made in a 100% dairy free environment, like Neocate.

- Have one “homemade” food item on hand for an easy meal – that way you won’t pick up a product that “may” contain an allergen because you are in a hurry.

Today’s FDA hearing is the beginning of a long process to clear up accidental-allergy warnings that are misleading consumers. This will be the FDA’s first step in developing a “long-term strategy.”

The hearing, being held in College Park, Maryland, is open to the public. For more information on attending the hearing, click here.

And for more information on the current food allergy standards, click here.

How do you feel about food allergy labels? I’d love to know!

- Christine