The Role of Precautionary Labelling for Food Allergens and the Care of Children with Food Allergies

There is no current cure for food allergy; therefore consumers with food allergy rely on accurate and detailed information on food labels in order to prevent an adverse reaction. Manufacturers cannot guarantee that food products are free from allergens as cross contamination can occur in several situations including but not limited to raw materials, the actual premises, storage and distribution, manufacturing processes and cleaning procedures. In order to alert the allergic consumer to the possible presence of trace allergens, manufacturers have voluntarily added precautionary labelling to processed foods. There are several variations to these statements, for example: “may contain traces of”, “may be present “and “made on the same production line”. The main purpose of this thesis is to understand the role of precautionary labelling in the care of children with food allergies