Allergen information
Introduction
Information is essential for consumers suffering from food allergies or food intolerance. For this group of people a lack of detailed information is a handicap, because they can never be certain that the goods they buy are free from allergens. For that reason consumers suffering from food allergies or food intolerance need to be informed about the composition of food products via information on the label. Of course, Verstegen Spices & Sauces would like to help the consumer with this.
Food allergies
A food allergy is an abnormal reaction of the immune system to an essentially non-harmful food product or substance. It nearly always involves proteins. The human body considers the protein or proteins in a particular food product to be an intruder and produces an abundance of histamine, and other chemical substances, to battle the proteins. In cases of food intolerance or food sensitivity the immune system does not react.
The number of people suffering from food allergies or food intolerance is on the increase (according to the Institue of Food Allergy, 8% of all children and 3% of adults). Also, new allergens are being discovered. Allergens can cause nausea, dizziness, vomiting and eczema.
Labelling
To provide better information to the consumer about the composition of food products and the presence of allergens, the European Committee has provided a guideline to improve the labelling of food products. Amongst other matters dealt with, it means that twelve recognised food products are considered to be an allergen, as well as derivatives of these, and the additive sulfite must always and without exception be named in the list of ingredients under their own name.
The official list of allergens
- Grain containing gluten and products based on grain containing gluten
- Crustacean and products containing crustacean
- Eggs and products containing eggs
- Fish and products containing fish
- Ground nuts and products based on ground nuts (peanuts)
- Soya and products based on soya
- Milk products and products containing milk (lactose included)
- Shell fruit and products containing shell fruit (tree nuts)
- Sesame seed and products containing sesame seed
- Sulfite in concentrations of at least 10mg/kg or 10 mg/l
- Mustard and products containg mustard
- Celery and products containing celery
The twelve substances have been selected because a great number of people are sensitive to these and consuming them could have consequences for their health. This particular guideline only deals with the known presence of allergens. The recommendation does not offer a solution for the possible presence of allergens due to cross contamination. Cross contamination means that an allergen could get into contact with a allergen free product due to, for example, insufficient cleaning of machinery.
Without a clear understanding of what happens with allergens in a production company, correct and meaningful labelling is impossible. A manufacturer wanting to provide reliable information regarding the presence of allergens will need to endeavour to prevent cross contamination. This is precisely the area that Verstegen Spices & Sauces has been involved in during the last years, and will continue to do so in the future. To make this clear and transparent towards the consumer we have constructed an allergen policy. This allergen policy is described in the next chapter and gives a general view on how Verstegen Spices & Sauces deal with allergens and which measures are continuously taken to prevent cross-contamination of allergens.
Allergen policy of Verstegen Spices & Sauces B.V.
The policy of Verstegen Spices & Sauces regarding allergens is divided in:
- policy on high risk allergens
- policy on medium risk allergens
The reason for this is the fact that High risk allergens (ground nuts and tree nuts) have far more damaging health effects, for people who are allergic to these, from a relatively low intake than medium risk allergens (the 10 other allergens). Because of this reason our policy on high risk allergens is stricter than for medium risk allergens.
Policy of high allergens (ground nuts and tree nuts)
- The chance of cross contamination with ground nuts and tree nuts has been eliminated through measures regarding planning of allergen and non-allergen products, extra cleaning, discipline neatness, hygiene and technical adaptations.
- No groundnuts or tree nuts are used in manufacturing in the dry production (the location were our dry products are produced).
- The present cleaning system in our sauce production units have proven that after cleaning the kettles (after production of e.g. peanut sauce) no traces of peanuts remain.
Cross contamination of ground and tree nuts is eliminated by the following measures in place regarding cleaning, planning and technical matters: - Each kettle is thoroughly cleaned after the production of sauces containing ground or tree nuts.
- The filling machines are thoroughly cleaned after the production of products containing ground or tree nuts.
- Sauces containing ground or tree nuts will only be produced in specific machines, where possible.
- Sauces containing ground or tree nuts will only be produced on a dedicated last day of the week, i.e. Fridays, and exceptionally Thursdays, after which a full and thorough cleaning process will take place.
Policy of medium allergens (other 10 allergens)
- The chance of cross-contamination of medium allergens in dry and liquid production is minimalised by the following measures concerning cleaning, planning and technical matters.
- When an allergen product is processed the operator will take extra precautions regarding hygiene and cleaning.
- As far as is in our power, the planning will take into account a separation in the production between allergen and non-allergen products.
- Cleaning procedures will be more vigourous. For example, cleaning various production materials with alcohol.
- Separate materials are used in the production of allergen and non-allergen products.
The filling machines (dry and liquid production) will be cleaned after the filling of medium allergens.
Various technical adaptations have been secured for the filling machines and the covering of various storing materials etc.
Other
- A monitoring plan has been put into place to test for possible cross contamination with allergens. This attention point will therefore be evaluated constantly.
- All employees are trained to deal with allergens and in the prevention of cross contamination.
Labelling of possible cross contamination
- Despite all the measures in place cross contamination cannot be fully excluded, as cross contamination can take place via the air. We are trying to minimalise this, but we cannot totally exclude it. However the cross contamination which could occur is very minimal and would be diluted over a production lot (up to 900kg/litre). There will be further dilution in liquid production. Also, most of our products are not consumed on their own, therefore a further dilution will take place. The concentration of a possible cross contamination of the end product and the chance of an allergic reaction is negligible.
- We do not state possible cross contamination on the label. This would only lead to confusion and, furthermore, the consumer with a food allergy would be severely limited in his or her choice.
Verstegen Spices & Sauces B.V. regards it as highly important that the consumer can make a responsible choice from our range. We try and supply the customer with as much relevant information as possible and have organised our process to comply with trustworthy and correct facts.
If you have any questions or remarks you are always very welcome to contact our service team of :
Verstegen Spices & Sauces UK Ltd, United Kingdom
Telephone: ++44 (0)1255554100
E-mail: info@verstegen.co.uk
C.F. Gaynor Itd, Ireland
Telephone: +353(0)18252700
E-mail: cfg@indigo.ie
Verstegen Spices & Sauces B.V. , Netherlands
Telephone: +31 (0)10-2455160
E-mail: info@verstegenindustrie.nl