LABELLING COMPLIANCE
their products. These allergens include gluten- containing cereals (like wheat and rye), milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, mustard, sesame and more. The legislation requires allergens to be emphasised on labels using bold, italics, or other distinguishable typesets within the ingredients list. Globally, food allergen regulations vary, but generally follow similar guidelines. In the US, the Food Allergen Labelling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) mandates the labelling of nine major allergens – milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame – which together account for 90% of food allergies – while Canada’s regulations require the declaration of priority allergens, such as gluten, mustard, and sulphites, among others. Australia, New Zealand, and other regions also have specific guidelines regarding allergen declaration on food labels. Staying compliant with ever-evolving allergen regulations can be challenging for bakeries, particularly those with complex supply chains or a wide range of products. Fortunately, several technologies are now available to simplify allergen management and labelling helping ensure regulatory compliance.
Helpful tools
Automated food labelling systems allow for seamless integration of allergen information into product labels, ensuring that all allergenic ingredients are clearly and consistently highlighted. Many solutions available today can be updated in real-time to reflect changes in recipes, ingredients, or regulatory requirements, helping to reduce human error and potential non-compliance.
Ingredient and allergen tracking software solutions can help manufacturers keep track of allergens in their supply chains. These systems track ingredients from suppliers, monitor recipe changes, and generate allergen risk assessments. When integrated with enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, these tools can help ensure that allergenic ingredients are flagged at each stage of production, automatically triggering alerts for any necessary labelling updates.M
For bakeries handling multiple products
on the same production line, the risk of cross- contamination is high. Recent advances in allergen detection technology – such as on-site testing kits – allow manufacturers to quickly and accurately identify the presence of allergens in both raw materials and finished products. These kits will mostly
utilise enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assays (ELISA) and lateral flow devices, providing results in minutes to ensure allergen-free products or to trigger cleaning protocols.
Blockchain technology is also emerging as a
powerful tool for supply chain transparency, particularly in allergen management. By using a blockchain system, bakery manufacturers can trace every ingredient back to its origin, ensuring that all suppliers meet allergen handling standards. This can be especially helpful in regions with stricter allergen labelling requirements or where suppliers’ allergen-handling procedures vary.
Blockchain
allows manufacturers to prove due diligence in the event of regulatory inspections or product recalls. Artificial intelligence (AI), which is invading all areas of our lives today, is also being integrated into food safety systems to help predict potential allergen risks. AI can analyse historical data, ingredient substitution patterns, and allergen incident trends, helping bakery manufacturers anticipate allergen
risks before they become a problem. AI solutions can be integrated into production processes to minimise human error, ensure compliance, and prevent allergen cross-contact.
What might the future hold? The future of allergen labelling looks set to move towards greater transparency,
with
global food safety bodies pushing for more standardised labelling practices. In the coming years, several trends are expected to shape allergen labelling requirements:
• Expansion of allergen lists: As more allergens emerge – particularly in regions where certain ingredients are more common – regulators are expanding the list of allergens that require mandatory declaration. Bakeries need to keep themselves updated on international trends to ensure continued compliance in different markets.
• Digital food labelling: With the rise of digital food information platforms,
some countries
In an era where food allergies
seem to be becoming increasingly prevalent, stringent allergen labelling regulations have been put in place across the globe to protect consumers”
20 Kennedy’s Bakery Production October/November 2024
are experimenting with QR codes that provide extended information about food products, including allergens. This trend could soon become a global standard, offering an opportunity for bakery manufacturers to provide consumers with detailed product information in real-time.
• Stricter cross-contamination labelling: ‘May contain’ statements have long been used to warn consumers of potential cross-contamination. However, as regulatory bodies focus on improving consumer clarity, more prescriptive guidelines on when and how these statements should be used are expected. This may result in the need for more rigorous testing and record-keeping within bakery production lines to substantiate any claims made on labels. Clarity on the ‘may contain’ issue appears to be overdue. For example, when the US added sesame to its list of allergens that need to be listed on food labels it resulted in many more brands actually listing the ingredient. Food industry experts argued that the requirements are so stringent that many
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