Form Letter to Congress to Urge Support for Better Food Labeling Regulation

The following letter was prepared by Nancy of the Gluten Intolerance Group in Seattle, WA:

Celiac.com Sponsor (A12):
 

Directions:

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Representative or Senator
Address

Honorable (Senator)
Or
Distinguished (Representative)

I urge you to cosponsor the legislation that Representative Nita Lowey and Senator Edward Kennedy will introduce to tighten the regulation of food-allergens. Millions of Americans have food allergies, and each year about 150 people in the United States die from anaphylactic shock caused by a food allergy. Metabolic disorders, such as gluten intolerance, also require careful and strict elimination of certain foods from a persons diet to maintain normal health. Over 1.3 million people in the USA suffer from gluten intolerance, which requires strict elimination of wheat, rye and barley from the diet.

A 2000 survey conducted jointly by the Food and Drug Administration, Minnesota, and Wisconsin found that one-quarter of the bakery products, candy, and ice cream sampled were contaminated with peanut or egg ingredients that were not declared on the product labels. Undeclared allergens may cause immediate reactions, or slow destruction of the intestine and long-term health complications associated with malnutrition.

Representative Lowey has said that the legislation would require companies to list the major allergens (including those in spices, flavorings, and colorings) by their common English names and to include a telephone number on the label that consumers could call for more information. The legislation would also require manufacturers to better prevent cross-contact between products made in the same facility or on the same production line, allow the Food and Drug Administration to assess penalties against firms that violate the food allergen requirements, and require the Centers for Disease Control to establish a system for tracking food allergy-related deaths. In addition, Congress should also require companies to indicate on labels that the food may contain allergens when the possibility of contamination cannot be totally excluded.

Rye and barley must be included in the list of allergens declared on labels. This addition will better serve all persons with allergies and intolerances.

I urge you to cosponsor this important public health legislation, with the above-recommended addition.

Sincerely,