Sesame Declared As the 9th Major Food Allergen
DATE: 2022-09-14On April 23, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act into law in the United States. This legislation declares sesame as the 9th major food allergen, following the eight foods identified as major food allergens in the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA).
Soon, this bill will require all FDA-regulated packaged food products containing sesame to clearly label the ingredient as an allergen in the United States. Although some manufacturers have already started to enforce the forthcoming changes, it will not be required until the legislation takes full effect on January 1, 2023. Once in effect, all packaged foods, including dietary supplements, that are introduced or delivered for introduction into interstate commerce must disclose the correct labeling, while also following Section 403(w)(1) of the FD&C Act.
In terms of sesame oil, Section 403(w) of the FD&C Act exempts highly refined oils from the allergen labeling act, but they still must meet 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 101.4(b)(14), which requires the source of the oil to be declared on the label. If the sesame oil is not highly refined, it must then comply with the conditions of Section 403(w).
According to the FDA, the ingredient should already appear in the ingredient statement due to their general labeling requirements, unless the sesame is part of a natural flavoring or spice. To mitigate this technicality, the FDA issued draft guidance in November 2020 to protect consumers who may be allergic to sesame. Therefore, the FDA urges manufacturers to voluntarily display sesame in their ingredient list or a separate “Contains” statement, even if they fall under current exceptions. As of now, the FDA’s draft guidance is not legally enforced or required but recommended for the food manufacturers to act in accordance with their suggestions.
Sources:
Food Allergies | FDA
FASTER Act Overview: FDA's Perspective
How to choose the right cooking oil?
DATE: 2020-01-30Know your cooking temperature
Different foods require different level of heat, and selecting the right smoking point oil will guarantee you won't burn your delicious meal. Knowing what cooking temperature your meal requires (low, medium, high) will help choose the correct oil.
American Vegetable Oils provides various cooking temperature oils from 325° all the way to 520° for all your cooking needs.
What is Cold Pressed oil?
"Cold Pressed" simply refers to the process by which the seed or fruit is extracted to produce oil. The oil extracted from the first pressing is of the highest quality and purity. "Organic Cold Pressed" also means harsh chemicals were not used to extract the oil.
What is Expeller Pressed Oil?
Labeled Expeller Pressed? It denotes it's a good oil to purchase. It does not use any additional chemicals, like some other processes do in order to obtain larger quantities of oil. In one single step, with the use of an intense force, it physically squeezes the oil out of the seed or fruit. No added heat in this process, but the pressure and friction involved will increase heat from the unit. So technically, this process is not "cold pressed".
"Expeller Pressed" oils, just like "Cold Pressed" oils, can be obtained from a considerable amount of distinct seeds, but only the ones that have been approved for consumption are sold to the public.
Visit www.avooils.com/products to find out more about our cooking oils.