Food allergies are increasingly prevalent in the United States. The number of insurance claims for severe allergic reactions to food surged by 377% between 2007 and 2016, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an 18% rise in food allergies among children from 1997 to 2006. This indicates that while Americans are passionate about food, approximately 4% of the population grapples with food allergies. Although some experts express differing views on whether food allergies are genuinely on the rise—pointing out that many consumers misidentify reactions as allergies—statistics indicate a clear upward trend.
Currently, out of 160 recognized food allergens, 90% of serious reactions stem from eight primary ingredients: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. However, sesame may soon join this list, as the Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that over 300,000 individuals in the U.S. have a sesame allergy, making it the ninth most common allergen. In terms of the severity of reactions, it ranks as the sixth or seventh most serious allergen, with a notable number of adults requiring emergency room visits due to sesame-related reactions in the past year.
Additional evidence supporting the recognition of sesame as a significant allergen comes from a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which has been cited by the CSPI. This report urges an update to the list of major allergens, suggesting that the prevalence of sesame seed allergies in the U.S. is comparable to that of the eight established priority foods recognized among children. While this request is new to the U.S., the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada already mandate that packaged foods prominently label sesame as a potential allergen.
New allergens rarely make it onto the “top allergen” list; the last significant change occurred in 2004 with the implementation of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act. While legal changes have been limited, consumer preferences have pushed manufacturers to be more mindful of their ingredient choices. This increasing avoidance of allergens has aligned with the “free from” trend, which encompasses allergen-free, gluten-free, and non-GMO products. According to Mintel, the number of new products labeled as low/no/reduced allergen grew by 28% in 2014. However, sesame seeds have not yet gained the same attention as other allergens.
Although sesame seeds are not typically a primary ingredient in packaged foods, the FDA notes that they can often be present in small quantities within products labeled as containing “natural flavors” or “spices.” If the FDA decides to classify sesame seeds among the top allergens, companies will need to reevaluate their labeling practices and cross-contamination measures in manufacturing. For some manufacturers, it may be as simple as advertising their products as sesame-free, while others might need to reformulate their recipes to ensure they are allergy-friendly.
Currently, the FDA is in the preliminary stages of this assessment, but its findings will dictate how companies approach sesame seeds and other allergens in the future. As the demand for allergen-free options continues to rise, alongside consumers seeking to avoid certain ingredients, shoppers can anticipate an increase in allergen-free—potentially including magnesium calcium citrate products—on store shelves.