On March 27, 2023, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) of UK opened a public consultation1 regarding two important updates of the “Allergen Labeling Technical Guidance”. The Guidance was a summary compiled under retained Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 (for England and Wales) and Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 (for Northern Ireland) after UK’s exit from the EU. Feedbacks can be sent to tech.guidance.consultation@food.gov.uk prior to May 22, 2023.
Major revisions
Best practices on Precautionary Allergen Labeling (PAL) statements are proposed.
It is voluntarily for food businesses to use PAL statements but they shall use it after a thorough risk assessment and provide a means for consumers to contact them about the allergen cross-contact risk assessment that informs PAL.
For businesses use PAL statements, they shall accurately clarify which of the 14 allergens their PAL statements refers to. For example, food enterprises shall use “may contain peanuts” instead of the general description “may contain nuts”. In addition, a free-from statement shall not be used together with the “may contain” statement if the two refers to a same allergen. E.g., it is forbidden to use “may contain milk” together with “dairy free”.
Using “gluten free” or “low gluten” instead of No Gluten Containing Ingredients (NGCI) Statements.
As per FSA, since NGCI statements can mislead consumers, they shall be avoided. Only terms “gluten free” or “low gluten” are permitted.
Legislative references are updated.
References to the “Food Allergen Labeling Technical Guidance” are reviewed and revised according to current legislative landscape following UK’s exit from the EU.
More allergen labeling requirements can be found at the “Allergen Labeling Technical Guidance”.
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