Eating at restaurants poses a risk of allergic reactions for those with food allergies due to inadequate, inconsistent labeling of allergens in foods.

 

About 75% of allergic reactions occur at restaurants, and half of all fatal allergic reactions occur from restaurant food.

 

The EU has had a law since 2014 mandating labeling of 14 allergens in restaurants, but there is no single law in the United States requiring allergen labels for restaurant menu items.

 -Food allergies are on the rise

-Thirty-two million people in the United States have medically proven food allergies.

- In California, 4 million people, 10% of the population, have food allergies. 

 -On average, one in thirteen children have food allergies.

 -Each year in the United States, 200,000 people require emergency medical care for allergic reactions to food, 150 people die from food anaphylaxis. Children compose approximately two-thirds of those deaths

-The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) established food safety standards in 1938

- The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) created nutrition labeling on packaged foods in 1990

- The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) established allergen labeling on packaged foods in 2004. 

-The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded the NLEA to include nutrition labeling in chain restaurants in 2010.

- In 2013, the FDA implemented gluten free labeling, defining the term gluten-free to protect patients with Celiac Disease

-  The California Natalie Giorgi Sunshine Act AB 1532 established in 2019 ensures all food handlers have certification in handling major food allergens and cross contamination including organized camps.

California Senate Bill 68 will:

- require restaurants to label the top 9 allergens on their restaurant menus 

- include labeling of food allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, sesame, and soy) which account for 90% of food allergy reactions.

- use common names of ingredients

FARE facts and stats

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Food allergy risks and dining industry –an assessment and path forward

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Fearless Dining: Mandating Universal Allergen Disclosures

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Small Menu Changes for a Big Return 

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Food Allergy in Restaurants Work Group report

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Characteristics of Food Allergic Reactions in United States Restaurants

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US FDA 2022 Food Code calls for Allergen Labeling

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Consumers with Food Allergies: A Growing Market Remains Underserved