Food labels in Europe currently warn about 14 common allergens, but new research suggests the list may not be enough to protect people at risk of life-threatening reactions.
A study published in Clinical & Experimental Allergy analyzed more than 20 years of reports from the French Allergy Vigilance Network, covering nearly 3,000 cases of food-induced anaphylaxis. Researchers identified eight additional foods responsible for at least 1% of these severe reactions but not currently included in mandatory European labeling rules.
Those foods include goat’s and sheep’s milk (linked to 2.8% of cases), buckwheat (2.4%), peas and lentils (1.8%), alpha-gal (1.7%), pine nuts (1.6%), kiwi (1.5%), beehive products such as royal jelly (1.0%) and apples (1.0%).
The study’s authors say four of these (goat’s and sheep’s milk, buckwheat, peas and lentils, and pine nuts) should be prioritized for mandatory labeling because of their frequency, severity and risk of hidden exposure. Notably, recurrence rates were high: the same allergen caused repeated anaphylactic episodes in 56% of patients with goat’s and sheep’s milk allergies and 7.3% of those with peas or lentils.
“In our series of nearly 3,000 food anaphylaxis cases, 413 were caused by one of these eight ‘emerging food allergens’ without mandatory labelling, with two deaths,” said Dominique Sabouraud-Leclerc, MD, of CHU Reims in France. “We therefore believe it is time to review the list of the 14 foods with mandatory labelling to include at least the most severe of these emerging food allergens.”
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration requires labeling for the “Big 9” allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. While this list overlaps with Europe’s, the new findings highlight how additional foods not currently covered in either region may still pose serious risks for people with allergies.
The findings add to ongoing discussions about how food regulations can best protect individuals with severe allergies. For families managing food allergies, clearer labeling could mean fewer close calls and potentially save lives.
Funding information for this study was not disclosed in the available materials.