Product Labeling

Food products available to a consumer must be labeled according to federal laws. In general terms all foods should have the following: common name of the food, a list of ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight, declaration of the quantity of contents, name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer or distributor and the food source for each major food allergen.

For most consumers, a better understanding or awareness of the information on the nutrition label is needed. There are two entertaining videos available to get you started and more informed.

• The Food Label and You
• Don’t Let Your Food Take You By Surprise - Read the Label

Allergens

For some consumers, food safety involves more than cleaning, separating, cooking, and chilling. For consumers with food allergies, eating some foods could result in either a serious illness or death, so the food label must provide you with what you need to know.

If you are allergic to any of the following: milk, eggs, fish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and/or soybeans; you read food labels to determine if these items are ingredients. Although food labels are required by law to clearly describe the allergens present, there are often "undeclared allergens" found in foods. When found, the manufacturer recalls these foods and removes them from the marketplace.

Consumers with allergies will want to learn how to live safely with their allergy. Their physician would be a good source for information. Another possible source would be the Food Allergy Research and Education website.