Collaboration Needed to Protect the Food Allergy Community

There are 32 million Americans living with potentially life-threatening food allergies and the challenges they face each day have been made worse during COVID-19. The food allergy community has been impacted greatly and The New York Times recently ran a story highlighting the struggles this group has experienced finding allergen-free food throughout the pandemic. 

Additionally, FARE has received comments from individuals who were already challenged in finding the foods that they could eat. People are having difficulty fulfilling their food orders and, in some cases, only a fraction of the order is in stock. For those who rely on food banks, it is even worse. Often, there is limited selection and the food banks themselves have little economic buying power to source from multiple places. This is impacting people across all levels of society.

The FDA’s recent guidance on labeling, which allows for minor ingredient and formulation changes without making corresponding updates to their labeling, came as a shock to our community and has heightened anxiety during an already stressful time. The guidance casts doubt on whether people with food allergies can safely and confidently purchase food if labels will not provide essential information regarding ingredients. To be clear, we’re talking about people who could end up in an emergency room if they eat even a trace amount of an allergen. Just think about what that means currently, when many Americans are actively avoiding trips to the hospital to reduce exposure to COVID-19. 

We understand that the pandemic is also a huge challenge for food manufacturers, and that flexibility is needed to maintain food production during these unprecedented times. Having worked in the food industry for over ten years, I also know that food manufacturers are committed to providing safe and healthy food for everyone, including the food allergy community. We simply want to work with you to ensure that this brand-loyal group can continue to trust your products, while giving you the freedom you need to make appropriate ingredient changes and substitutions. 

We encourage FDA to urge food manufacturers to communicate label changes online, on their websites, at point of sale, and at online retail/grocery stores in order to prevent any health issues and just as importantly, to restore trust in the label. 

Our hope is that we can work together to find a solution that benefits everyone and ensures the safety of the food supply for those whose lives depend on knowing exactly what’s in the products they are purchasing.

Lisa Gable is the Chief Executive Officer of FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), the world’s leading food allergy advocacy organization and the world’s largest private funder of food allergy research.