The Top 8 Food Allergens: (2) While more than 160 foods can cause allergic reactions in people with food allergies, the following are listed as the top eight by law, by the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCP): 1. Milk 2. Eggs 3. Fish (e.g., bass, flounder, cod) 4. Crustacean shellfish (e.g., crab, lobster, shrimp) 5. Tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans) 6. Peanuts 7. Wheat 8. Soybeans Determining your facility’s need for color-coding. Many factors can influence a processor’s decision to implement a color-coding system. Changes in industry regulations or a new manufacturing line can often be a first prompt. To decide if color-coding is right for your facility, consider these criteria: 1. Does your facility process food, or serve the food service industry? 2. Do any of the ingredients used in the food production process pose microbiological threats? 3. Do you use certain chemicals in any area that would pose a threat if they were transferred to another area? 4. Is it necessary to segregate tools based on the areas where they are to be used, such as floors and drains vs. equipment surfaces, or food contact vs. non-food contact areas? 5. Does your facility process foods that contain ingredients that are known allergens? (See sidebar for common allergen information) 6. Does your facility maintain a HACCP plan or a master sanitation schedule? 7. Does your facility employ a 5S System? 8. Does your facility have separate manufacturing lines for different products? 9. Do you have a need within your facility to divide work spaces in order to maintain quality control? 10. Do you have a manufacturing process that must be consistent from plant to plant? 11. Do any of the following groups have regulatory authority over your products, provide input into your processes, or do you look to them for guidance or certification? (See appendix.) FDA - U.S. Food and Drug Administration USDA - U.S. Department of Agriculture CFIA – Canadian Food Inspection Agency GFSI - Global Food Safety Initiative SQFI – Safe Quality Food Institute FMI - Food Marketing Institute ISO - International Organization for Standardization ServSafe - National Restaurant Association Food Safety Training ANSI - American National Standards Institute AIB - American Institute of Baking International IFT - Institute of Food Technologists FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations WHO - World Health Organization IFS – International Featured Standards / International Food Standard
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