Despite the tendency of some allopathic doctors—even allergists, who ought to know better—to insist that there are no true food allergies, the fact is many of us do suffer reactions to certain foods. Aside from the frequent confusion of lactose intolerance for authentic dairy product allergy, for one example, there are numerous foods that cause people to develop reactions such as hives, asthma, diarrhea, and sometimes even anaphylactic shock. If severe enough death can even result unless emergency treatment is administered promptly.
As a result, there has been a law passed which necessitates labeling of some commonly-found allergens on food packaging. In effect since January 2006, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-282, Title II) legislation is meant to protect the public from unwarily biting into things that may either render them seriously ill or even kill them. So far it is a boon to consumers to be warned of substances such as peanuts, eggs, or wheat, for example, in their purchases.
However, this law could change, since the FDA is considering lowering the threshold regarding allergens in food. They may remove some substances from their list of what must be included in labeling, or the amounts considered dangerous could be raised. So far, the criterion to meet is that an allergen may cause a threat to human health by the reaction it triggers. They seem to be ignoring the concept that not everyone has the same level of allergic reaction to any given substance at any particular time.
The FDA is inviting the public to contact them with their input in regard to this issue. The original deadline was February 13, but has been extended to May 13, 2013. The information for this is at the following link: Request for Comments and Information on Initiating a Risk Assessment for Establishing Food Allergen Thresholds; Establishment of Docket
For more information concerning this important matter, see the following article by the American Holistic Health Association: http://ahha.org/AHHA_Issue_2-8-13.htm
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