An article in the October/November issue of the digital Food Safety magazine summarises the regulatory process for considering exemptions from the USA Food Allergen Labelling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA). 

The FDA is responsible for the evaluation of labelling exemption requests submitted by manufacturers and others. Only ‘highly refined oils’ from a major food allergen are automatically exempt from the FALCPA labelling requirements, however there are two processes for granting additional exemptions. Manufacturers or others are able to submit either a notification or a petition.

So far, the FDA has completed reviews of seven notifications. The reviews focussed primarily on whether the scientific evidence met the specific statutory standard for exemption from FALCPA. Along with the common deficiencies of each notification and petition, the reviews are summarised in this paper.

This interesting and informative regulatory report can be viewed online <link to www.foodsafetymagdigital.com/foodsafetymag/20081011/?pm=2&z=fw&pvieww=1248&zin=172&u1=texterity&search=food%20allergen%20November%202008&pg=22&fm=1> or by contacting the Allergen Bureau.