- Food Safety
- Managing Food Safety Risks
- Allergens
Allergens
Learn about the requirements for manufacturing food products containing allergens.
Summary
- Learn about the 11 allergens that must be listed on packaged foods.
- Food products contaminated with allergens not listed on the label will be recalled from sale.
- When you use allergens you must follow good manufacturing practices.
Allergens must be listed on packaged food labels
An allergen is a protein that can cause serious illness or death for some people and is found in common foods.
There are 11 ingredients, additives or processing aids that have allergens and have to be listed on food labels. They are:
- peanuts
- tree nut
- milk
- egg
- wheat
- lupin
- soy
- crustacea
- sesame seeds
- sulphites
- fish.
This is required by the Australia and New Zealand Food Standards Code.
Meat or seafood products must be recalled from sale when they have allergens not listed on the label. This can happen when allergens used on site contaminate other food products during manufacture. For some people, a very small amount of the allergen in food can cause anaphylaxis. This is the most severe form of allergic reaction.
It is up to food businesses to make sure:
- food products have accurate labels
- all allergens are declared in the final product
- there is no cross contamination during manufacture.
Hospitals in Victoria report cases of anaphylaxis caused by allergens to the Victorian Department of Health who will investigate. To learn more about the requirement for hospitals to notify the Victorian Department of Health go to Anaphylaxis notifications.
Requirements for unpackaged food
For unpackaged food, businesses need to be able to tell their customers exactly what is in the food. This can be verbal or written.
Good manufacturing practices to manage allergen risk
When making products with allergens you need to follow good manufacturing practices:
- Segregate allergen containing foods, ingredients and processing aids from non-allergen foods, ingredients and processing aids.
- Process allergen-free products before allergen containing products.
- Wash surfaces, equipment and utensils after processing products containing allergens.
- Thoroughly clean surfaces before swabbing and testing.
- Colour code equipment and utensils when many allergens are present on the premises.
- Label every product that contains allergens.
- Review ingredient supplier specifications to assist in product labelling.
- Educate and train staff on food allergen risk and allergen management.
- Handling of food products when they are being reworked or processed again.
PrimeSafe’s role
PrimeSafe maintains an allergen compliance surveillance program. This includes zero tolerance of the improper use of sulphur dioxide (SO2). Note that only sausages and sausage meat has a prescribed maximum limit of SO2 (500mg/kg).
PrimeSafe conducts the following compliance activities:
- audits of food safety programs
- surveillance
- management of complaints
- communication with the Department of Health on cases notified.
Food allergy and food intolerance are different conditions.
Food intolerance means having trouble digesting a food. It is not life threatening.
Food allergy is the body’s immune system reacting to a protein in a food. An allergic reaction can lead to severe complications or death.
Australia has one of the highest rates of allergies globally.
Both food intolerance and allergy can cause dizziness, swelling of lips and throat, nausea, feeling bloated, itchy skin and eyes, diarrhoea and vomiting.
In some cases, food allergy can trigger a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.
Some anaphylaxis symptoms are:
- swelling of lips, tongue and throat
- dizziness
- fainting
- difficulty in breathing and talking
- wheezing or persistent cough.
You can find more general information about allergy at Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia
Food Standards Australia New Zealand have an allergen portal with links to best practice food allergen resources.
Go to Food Standards Australia New Zealand Food allergen portal.
Unsafe food is recalled from sale.
Recalls can occur at the trade or consumer level.
Trade recall occurs when food has not been sold to consumers and can be recalled from distribution centres and wholesalers. There is no immediate risk to public health.
Consumer recall is when food has already been sold to consumers and there is an immediate risk to public health.
Withdrawal of food
Withdrawal of food from sale occurs when there is no risk to public health and the product has a quality issue rather than a food safety concern.
All food manufacturers, importers and wholesale suppliers must have a documented recall plan in accordance with Clause 12; Standard 3.2.2 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
