Simulated Use of Thresholds for Precautionary Allergen Labelling in the Canadian Food Market: Impact on Prevalence and Risk
Kamila Lizee1, 2, Silvia Dominguez1, 2, Jérémie Théolier1, 2, Samuel Godefroy1, 2
1Institut sur la nutrition et les aliments fonctionnels (INAF), Université Laval, Québec, Qc ; 2Faculté des sciences de l’agriculture et de l’alimentation, Université Laval, Québec, Qc
Abstract
Allergen avoidance warrants accurate food labelling. The lack of requirements for the use of precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) by food manufacturers limits allergic consumers’ food choices. Allergen thresholds based on population eliciting doses (ED) could standardize the use of PAL and reduce its occurrence in the Canadian food market. Methods: The risk posed to allergic consumers by four priority allergens declared in PAL of nine food categories was assessed in a Monte Carlo simulation. The model incorporates reported: (i) allergen frequency and concentration in the Canadian food market, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, (ii) food intake estimates, and (iii) population allergen ED estimates. One thousand scenarios, each considering 10 000 eating occasions of each allergen-food combination were modelled. Baseline risk, risk if PAL is applied only for exposure doses above those estimated to protect 95% (ED05) and 99% (ED01) of the allergic population, and reduction in number of products with PAL in the market when using these thresholds, were obtained. Results: Most allergen-food combinations’ baseline risk was below 10 allergic reactions per 10 000 eating occasions. Milk posed the greatest risk with 5 out of 9 combinations causing more than 40 and up to 1089 allergic reactions per 10 000 eating occasions. The simulated use of thresholds for PAL based on ED01 and ED05 decreased the number of products with PAL by 21% to 100%. Conclusions: Milk was the highest-risk allergen in the Canadian food market, among the combinations studied. The use of thresholds for PAL could increase allergic consumers’ safe food choices.
Results
Figure 2: Allergic reactions caused by allergen-product combinations (< 50 allergic reactions / 10 000 eating occasions)
Figure 3: Allergic reactions caused by allergen-product combinations (≥ 50 allergic reactions / 10 000 eating occasions)
Figure 4: Number of products with PAL (< 1 000/10 000) after use of thresholds ED01 and ED05. Comparatively, the current number of products with PAL is 10 000.
Figure 5: Number of products with PAL (≥ 1 000/10 000) after use of thresholds ED01 and ED05. Comparatively, the current number of products with PAL is 10 000.