Consensus needed on acceptable food allergy risk

In a new paper published as part of the EuroPrevall project, detailed consideration is given to the various issues of determining acceptable risk in food allergy. Uncertainty about food allergy, its consequences and how to manage them is the common denominator of the key stakeholder groups, which include allergic consumers, health professionals, public authorities and the food industry.

Much work has been conducted to improve knowledge and characterise the public health risk from allergenic foods, and several groups are actively developing methodologies that will help to quantify this risk more accurately. A key finding of such work to-date is that the reactivity of allergic patients spans at least six orders of magnitude of allergen doses. It therefore seems impossible within the constraints of food production processes to guarantee that any given food will not provoke a reaction in a few allergic individuals. As such, and as with other risks in society, zero risk for those with food allergy is not a realistic or attainable option. In order to further improve food allergy risk management, an agreement on levels of acceptable risk is now needed.

Despite differences in perspective, all stakeholder groups are said to agree that severe and potentially fatal allergic reactions are the most important risks to be addressed, and preventing all milder manifestations of food allergy may be a lesser priority.

The authors highlight the impact of uncertainty in food labelling on food allergic consumers and health care professionals who are required to advise this group on making safe food choices. They suggest that if the level of uncertainly could be minimised, the quality of life of food-allergic people may improve, even if the actual risk is not reduced. Reducing uncertainty is also expected to improve allergen management by industry.

In suggesting ways to move forward from the current situation, it is suggested that acceptability of risk might be increased through the implementation of specific strategies, such as clearer, more consistent and trustworthy labelling to minimise uncertainty among stakeholders. The development and use of the Australian Food and Grocery Council VITAL system is discussed in this context.

This paper is thought to be the first to present stakeholder perspectives on acceptable risk together in the area of food safety, and provides a comprehensive discussion of the key considerations and limitations of the current situation with regard to establishing acceptable levels of risk for allergens in food.

Reference: Madsen et al. 2010. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology