Food Allergy Canada has released Allergen Management Guidelines for Food Manufacturers to support Canada’s food and beverage manufacturers in managing allergens and enabling safe options for consumers with food allergy.
The resource was drafted by consumer group Food Allergy Canada, in collaboration with Université Laval’s Food Risk Analysis and Regulatory Excellence Platform, Maple Leaf Foods and leading food manufacturers. It considers current international industry guidelines, scientific and expert community reports, and Canadian food manufacturer expertise.
Designed to help food businesses meet Canadian regulatory requirements and provide greater transparency to consumers, the guidelines provide a risk-based framework for how to develop an allergen control plan or assess a current plan within a food facility. The guidelines also help guide decisions on the appropriate use of precautionary allergen labelling to ensure these are used as an effective risk communication tool.
The development of the resource was informed by industry best practices, international industry guidelines, scientific and expert community reports, and Canadian food manufacturer expertise. Food Allergy Canada is a national charity and the country’s leading patient organization.
The Allergen Management Guidelines and related resources including online training and a user guide can be downloaded from the Food Allergy Canada website: foodallergycanada.ca/AllergenGuidelines.
