Simple, rapid tests are a small investment with a big return
People who do not know someone with a food allergy may have little idea how life-threatening a food allergy can be, as well as how challenging it is to identify “safe foods” to eat. Consumers with food allergies rely on manufacturers to produce 100% allergen-free foods when labels do not identify allergenic ingredients. There are eight foods that account for 90% of reactions, with egg, milk and peanut among the most prevalent. Food processors cannot fail the more than six million Americans who are known to have a food allergy. For some of these people, consuming a minute quantity of an undisclosed food allergen means a call to 911.
Food manufacturers provide allergen protection by clearly labeling ingredients in a product, and flagging when a product definitely does contain, or may contain a known allergen. Testing for the presence of food allergens helps ensure safety in foods that do not declare them on ingredient statements. Rapid testing, in particular, may help prevent a recall if a contaminant is found in the food before it is in distribution. This is not to mention the loss of the millions of dollars often associated with a voluntary recall.