The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued new guidelines intended to help meat, poultry, and processed egg product producers in managing ingredients, which could lead to adverse reactions among consumers with allergies.
USDA deputy under-secretary for food safety Al Almanza said: "Our mission as a public health agency is to protect America's most vulnerable populations, including children, from harm, and these new guidelines do just that.
"Beyond keeping our families safe, these guidelines also provide a useful tool to help food companies avoid preventable, costly recalls."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2% of adults, and 4% to 8% of children in the country have food allergies.
Food allergens can lead to serious symptoms and life threatening reactions.
In the last few years, there has been an increase in recalls of products due to undeclared allergens. The problem is the result of changes to ingredient suppliers, products being placed in the wrong package, or changes to product or ingredient formulations.
The new guidelines ensure that product labels declare all ingredients. The guidance covers aspects on prevention and control measures of potentially allergic ingredients, packaging, labelling, storage, checklists, and allergen training, among others.
The guidelines are part of FSIS' efforts to cut down allergen-related recalls.
FSIS inspectors met with management of several firms in the country in April to discuss whether they produce items containing allergens, and the steps taken to ensure proper labelling.
The USDA's FSIS is working to bolster food safety efforts and develop strategies that emphasise a three-dimensional approach to prevent foodborne illness: prioritising prevention; strengthening surveillance and enforcement; and improving response and recovery.
