Health
Food allergy law passed
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Aug. 9, 2004
President Bush was expected to sign the Food Allergen and Consumer Protection Act in late July. The law would require that food labels disclose the presence of any of eight common allergens: milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, fish, shellfish, wheat and soy.
The label language is also to include only terms that are understandable to the estimated 11 million Americans who have food allergies and their families. The law would take effect on Jan. 1, 2006.
The legislation was a cooperative effort of the food industry, the Food and Drug Administration and advocacy groups, according to the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network.
"Foods that are safe for most Americans can be deadly for others," said Rep. Nita Lowey (D, N.Y.), the bill's sponsor in the House. "Food-allergic consumers depend on labels to make life-and-death decisions, yet they are forced to crack a code of complicated scientific terms for everything they eat," said Lowey at the bill's House passage.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/08/09/hlbf0809.htm.
