Chicago Tribune conducts allergen labelling survey

In 2008, the Chicago Tribune newspaper reviewed thousands of items at 60 locations in or near Chicago, and reported finding dozens of products that did not correctly label the allergenic ingredients.

The review also included 50 laboratory tests, which the newspaper maintains is more than both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration have conducted over the last several years.

In addition, the newspaper generated a computer database of 2,800 recalls related to food allergies over the last 10 years. They found that roughly five products a week are recalled because of hidden allergens, making it one of the top reasons any consumer product in America is recalled.

In total, the survey identified 117 products off supermarket shelves that appear to violate federal food labelling laws.

The details of the survey and a summary of its findings can be accessed via the Chicago Tribune website.

This website link includes a video interview of Dr Steve Taylor from the University of Nebraska whose laboratory conducted the testing on behalf of the newspaper.