Things You'll Need:
- A list of hidden allergens
- time
- patience
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Step 1
Dairy, soy, corn, citrus, egg and wheat are a few foods, which may appear under various names. It is important to confirm the safety of any unknown ingredients on the labeling. Many items that may appear safe are actually derived from an allergen. An example is caramel coloring, which may contain dairy or corn. If possible, invest in a dictionary of food ingredients. This will allow you to conveniently look up questionable items. It is pertinent that you read the labels each time you buy a new item, as manufacturers frequently change ingredients.
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Step 2
It may also be necessary to contact the company, and inquire on cross contamination issues or confirm the source of a specific ingredient. I have found that questions involving hidden ingredients are most accurately answered by the product development team. I request the plant manager when I am inquiring on cross-contamination issues. Emphasize your child's allergies and severity of reactions when requesting information on a product. Many do not realize that a food allergy can result in a life threatening reaction and may hastily answer that an item is safe without checking.
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Step 3
The federal government passed a labeling law,Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA, on January 2006. This law requires that food manufacturers disclose in layman terms whether products contain any of the top eight food allergens. This includes milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, and soy. The law was passed for the protection of allergic consumers and food service establishments, allowing individuals to more easily recognize items that need to be avoided.
