Undeclared allergens in imported packaged food for retail in Australia

ABSTRACT

The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) requires a declaration of the presence of 11 different allergens made through the label on a food product. Most food recalls in Australia are now due to undeclared allergens . This survey determined the extent of undeclared allergens in imported food products on the Asian retail market in Australia. A total of 50 imported packaged foods were selectively purchased from local Asian grocery retail stores in Melbourne and the presence of undeclared gluten, milk, peanut and egg determined. Analysis was performed using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (R-Biopharm). Thirty-seven undeclared allergens (gluten n = 12, milk n = 12, peanut n = 6, and egg n = 7) were detected in 23 of the 50 products analysed (46%), with 18% containing multiple undeclared allergens. The high number of undeclared allergens is alarming and in line with the increasing number of food recalls and anaphylaxis recorded in Australia.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Food labelling
• undeclared allergen
• food allergy
• food recalls

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance of research staff and facilities of the National Measurement Institute for this study and R-Biopharm for providing test kits.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The ELISA-kits for this study were provided by R-Biopharm AG. AL Lopata and S Kamath are financially supported the National Health Medical Research Council Australia.