Eczema is a common skin condition that can be hard to ignore, especially when you’re a child. Discover what you can do to help your kids deal with eczema and the itchy, flaky, irritating rash it causes.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently requires that companies include on their food labels the inclusion of eight common food allergens, including: peanuts, wheat, eggs, milk, shellfish, tree nuts and soybeans. Sesame may soon be added to this list
In 2014, a group that included the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CPI) petitioned the FDA to begin including sesame on the list of major allergens as evidence began to mount suggesting that more than 300,000 Americans suffer from sesame allergies and that only 100 milligrams of sesame can cause allergic reactions that can range from mild to the most severe forms that involve life-threatening anaphylaxis.
This move by CPI and others was consistent with others’ views on sesame allergies, as the European Union, Canada, Australia and New Zealand all already require companies to disclose when sesame is contained within its products.
A recent study published in Pediatrics suggests that 150,000 children in the United States are affected by sesame allergies, making it the ninth most common food allergen. More than half of those allergic to sesame carry EpiPens to protect themselves from severe allergic reactions.
Now, as the FDA considers adding sesame to the list of allergens that must be disclosed on food labels, it is also requesting information on the allergy through the end of the year, particularly from epidemiologists, allergy researchers, physicians, and nutritionists. The hope is that insights from these experts will help the FDA to deepen its understanding of sesame allergies and the threats they pose
A major goal for including sesame on the FDA’s list of major allergens would be to make it easier for consumers to identify sesame and avoid it when necessary. In addition to including major allergens on labels, companies are also required to use common names that are easily recognizable to consumers.
Currently, sesame may go unidentified because consumers are not familiar with the names that manufacturers use to describe the substance. Some other terms for sesame are: sim sim, sesamol, til, gingelly, and benne. Those with sesame allergies – and the rest of the allergy community – are anxiously awaiting the FDA’s decision on how to best handle the risks associated with sesame allergies.
You Might Also Enjoy...
Eczema is a common skin condition that can be hard to ignore, especially when you’re a child. Discover what you can do to help your kids deal with eczema and the itchy, flaky, irritating rash it causes.
Do you wish you could just skip spring and its high pollen counts that make your eyes water and your nose drain? And what about all that sneezing? Learn how to manage springtime allergies before the wildflowers bloom and the grass grows.
Can a series of injections actually cure your allergies? Not really. But they can make you feel like you don’t have allergies by retraining your immune system. And that may be the next best thing to a cure. Find out more about immunotherapy.
It is expected that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will approve a new drug that treats peanut allergies in children in January. The drug, developed by a California-based startup called Aimmune Therapeutics, is Palforzia...
The 3rd week in September marked Asthma Peak Week for 2019. What is Asthma Peak Week? It is a week when certain conditions come together to create a perfect storm for asthma sufferers...
Roughly 1 in 10 people in the United States are allergic to cats. Despite exposure to cats resulting in symptoms including coughing, sneezing, wheezing, stuffy noses, and rashes in this part of our population,...