Sesame Not Mentioned on More Than 50% Products

Sesame allergy: More than 50 percent of products do not declare sesame on the food label.

More than 56 percent of products did not declare sesame on the food label causing anaphylaxis in some people, reveals a new study.

In 2021, the US Congress passed the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education & Research Act which, among other things, added sesame to the list of allergens that are mandatory for inclusion on food labels by 2023.

Around 17 Percent of Food-allergic Kids Have Sesame Allergy
Sesame allergy is common among kids with other food allergies, occurring in an estimated 17 percent of this population, reveals a new study.

‘Clear food product labeling for sesame is needed to prevent adverse reactions, especially anaphylaxis, in food-allergic people.’

The new study was published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (ACAAI).

“Sesame is the ninth most common childhood food allergy in the US, yet many people don’t recognize it on food labels, or it’s missing entirely” says allergist Katie Kennedy, MD, ACAAI member and senior author on the paper.

“What we discovered in our study was that amongst those who reported events related to accidental ingestion of sesame, many reported they didn’t know that words such as ‘tahini’ meant sesame. Because the word ‘sesame’ is often not used on labels, accidents happen at a greater rate.”

Sesame is Allergy is Common Nowadays
Sesame allergy is a relatively common food allergy that affects patients of all ages and genders, causing extreme reactions and health care utilization.

The study examined 379 self-reported events related to sesame involving 327 individuals with 360 distinct adverse clinical reactions. Nineteen events involved a sesame labeling issue that did not result in a clinical reaction. Most of the reports (85%) were from parents providing information on events with their children.

“About 48% of the allergic reactions required hospitalizations or an emergency room visit,” says allergist Kim Nguyen, MD, ACAAI member and co-author of the paper. “Most of the events (63%) occurred at home; about 11% of events occurred at a restaurant, 5% at a friend’s house and 4% of events occurred at school. The most common reason for reporting an event was the occurrence of an allergic reaction following ingestion (99%) as opposed to contact-only exposure.”

Guidelines can Lead to Over-Diagnosis of Cow�s Milk Allergy in Infants
Guidelines need to be prepared only when enough data is available to avoid over-diagnosis, which may be greater than the damage of delayed diagnoses.

“Some of the reports were due to products declared as containing ‘spices’ or ‘natural flavors’ and required consumers to call the company or manufacturer to clarify the ingredients,” says Dr. Kennedy. One of the reported events occurred in a child with a known sesame allergy, and she had eaten meatloaf made with breadcrumbs.

The parents later learned that the “spices” labeled on the breadcrumbs contained sesame.

New Insights About Allergies to mRNA-based COVID-19 Vaccines
A new study suggests how vaccine manufacturers can reformulate the vaccines to make them less likely to trigger allergic responses.

The authors conclude that clear and specific product labeling for sesame is crucial for the prevention of adverse reactions, especially anaphylaxis, in food-allergic people.

Allergists are specially trained to test for, diagnose and treat food allergies. To find an allergist near you who can help create a personal plan to deal with your family’s food allergies, and help you live your best life, use the ACAAI allergist locator.

Source-Eurekalert