February 2006

To:           School Food Service Directors

From:       Frances N. O'Donnell, Coordinator

Subject:    FDA to Require Food Manufacturers to List Food Allergens

    Effective January 1, 2006, the FDA requires food labels to clearly state if food products contain any ingredients that contain protein derived from the eight major allergenic foods.  As a result of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA), manufacturers are required to identify in plain English the presence of ingredients that contain protein derived from milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, or soybeans in the list of ingredients or to say "contains" followed by name of the source of the food allergen after or adjacent to the list of ingredients.  To view the press release, go to: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fpalrg.html