Chapter 4 The Relationship of Allergens to Sanitation
The concern about allergens in foods has
become one of the most visible and urgent
issues facing the food industry. The food
industry is challenged to ensure that deriva-
tives of common food allergens are included
on labels and that manufacturing facilities
and equipment do not contribute to contam-
ination of these substances.
Knowledge of undeclared allergens that
can occur in food processing and prepara-
tion is essential for the maintenance of a safe
food supply. Those involved with sanitation
must be knowledgeable about how to protect
foods against allergens that can be devastat-
ing and even fatal to a segment of the popu-
lation. The food industry should keep these
chemical organisms out of the food supply.
Approximately 30,000 emergency room
visits and 200 deaths each year are attributa-
ble to food allergens. It is estimated that 2 to
3% of adults and 4 to 8% of infants and young
children in the United States are affected
by food allergies (Bodendorfer et al., 2004).
Most infants diagnosed with food allergies
outgrow them within a few months, but some
food allergies (e.g., peanuts and shellfish) are
more persistent, often enduring for a life-
time. The impact of allergens is increasing
dramatically as evidenced by no recalls for
undeclared food allergens before 1990, but
approximately 75 since 1998. Allergen-related
recalls rose from approximately 9.7% in 1999
to 23.3% (almost a quarter of the total
recalls) in 2003. There has been increased
regulatory attention given to food allergens
by both state and federal regulators. The
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
declared that the control of food allergens is
a top priority.
Most allergies are traced to foodservice.
There are over 160 foods that cause allergic
reactions. The “Big 8” foods that are most
likely to contain allergens include (1) peanuts;
(2) tree nuts such as almonds, cashews, Brazil
nuts, and pistachios; (3) dairy products;
(4) eggs; (5) soybeans; (6) crustacea; (7) fish;
and (8) cereals. Other potential foods that
may contain allergens are cottonseed,
sesame seed, poppy seed, mollusks, and
other legumes. Natural common airborne
allergens include grass pollen, tree pollen,
mold spores, and animal dander. Allergenic
substances and products include yeasts,
mannitol, sorbitol, polysorbates, rice mal-
todextrins, citrus, bioflavonoids, lactose,
artificial preservatives, artificial colors, citrus
pectin, talc, soy lecithin, corn flour, gluten,
soy flour, rice flour, alfalfa, potato starch,
and acacia gum. Any food protein can be an
allergen. The human immune system may
not recognize it properly and identify it as a
foreign body (e.g., bacteria) that may attack70