Will FALCPA Require That Soy Lecithin or Other Processing Aids Be Listed on the Label?
FALCPA will require all food companies to label allergens in plain language in all ingredient statements, including processing aids and flavors. Currently, the only exception that Congress specifically allows is for oils that are highly refined, bleached, and deodorized and for any ingredient derived from these highly refined oils.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states, “There is evidence that consumption of highly refined oils does not appear to be associated with allergic responses despite the potential presence of low levels of protein in these oils.”
Processing aids are used throughout the industry to help manufacture food; however, processing aids are different from other ingredients in foods and beverages like sugar or flour. By way of example, soy lecithin can be used as both an ingredient and a processing aid.
As a processing aid, soy lecithin is widely used to keep baked goods, such as breads, muffins, cookies, pies and cakes, from sticking to baking pans, in the same way you might use a nonstick spray in cooking at home. Since its only purpose is to prevent the food from sticking to the pan, very little of the nonstick spray stays with the food.
In addition to nonstick sprays, soy lecithin can also be used as a carrier for certain flavor, spice, or vitamin ingredients. Because flavors, spices, and vitamins are typically present in small amounts in finished foods, the processing aid for these ingredients is present at very low levels and has not previously been reflected in the ingredient statement.
FALCPA requires food companies to label ingredients like soy lecithin, regardless of its level in the food you purchase. You, therefore, may notice “soy lecithin” in the ingredient statements or “Contains soy” in allergen information statements on products that did not previously include soy. You may also begin to see other ingredients derived from major allergens that have been treated as processing aids and have not been labeled before.
This change to the food label may reduce the choice of food products available to you. Some members may be tempted to ignore the food label based on past safe use of the food product. This is potentially dangerous if you start assuming any label change is related to insignificant levels having to be labeled by the new law rather than a true reformulation of the food product.
Please do not ignore “Contains …” statements or the information on the ingredient statement. If you have any questions about your avoidance diet, speak to your doctor.
FAAN will continue to keep you posted on changes to the food labels. Special thanks to the Grocery Manufacturers Association for research material on processing aids.
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