The designation of sesame as the ninth major allergen was widely anticipated, with the primary question being not if it would occur, but rather when and how it would be officially announced. Sesame will now be included alongside dairy, soy, wheat, peanuts, eggs, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish as an ingredient that must be explicitly identified on food packaging. The successful bill, championed by Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., passed the Senate unanimously and moved through the House of Representatives with a roll call vote of 415-11. Known as the FASTER Act, this legislation had eight co-sponsors—five Democrats and three Republicans—demonstrating that food allergies are a bipartisan concern.
This legislation was a top priority for Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), a nonprofit organization focused on advocating for food allergy awareness and funding research. “The President’s signing of the FASTER Act today is a significant win for the food allergy community nationwide,” stated FARE CEO Lisa Gable in a written statement. “It was due to our champions and advocates that the FASTER Act was introduced, passed, and signed into law during President Biden’s first 100 days in office.”
Research published in JAMA in 2019 estimated that approximately 1.6 million people in the U.S.—around 0.49% of the population—may be allergic to sesame. A separate study from the National Institutes of Health, published in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, revealed that 17% of children with other food allergies are also allergic to sesame. Reactions to sesame allergies can be particularly severe. The Center for Science in the Public Interest reported that nearly 39% of children and 45% of adults with sesame allergies experienced severe reactions, which are defined as involving at least two organ systems or resulting in anaphylaxis. This rate surpasses that of severe reactions to egg and milk in both children and adults, and to wheat in adults. Furthermore, one-third of adults with sesame allergies visited the emergency department at least once in the past year, according to the CSPI report.
Sesame has already been recognized as a major allergen in Europe, the Middle East, Canada, and Australia, so international manufacturers are accustomed to adhering to labeling requirements and handling the seed carefully in product creation. Additionally, in 2019, Illinois enacted a law mandating the disclosure of sesame on ingredient labels. Chicago, the state’s largest city, is home to more than 4,500 food manufacturers and the headquarters of many leading consumer packaged goods companies, many of which have likely been preparing for the new federal labeling requirements.
Beyond the sesame-specific aspect of the new law, this study could promote a more proactive federal approach to food allergy detection and prevention, while also raising awareness about the extent of the issue. FARE’s research from last year indicated that one in four individuals in the U.S.—approximately 85 million people—are affected by food allergies. Even if the federal government’s research overlaps with that of institutional and private organizations, it will be more challenging for policymakers to ignore findings from the executive branch.
Establishing a clear process for the federal government to declare new major allergens through regulation could also be beneficial moving forward. While the legislative approach worked in the case of sesame, it was subject to the complexities of Congress, which caused minor changes to last year’s bill and delayed its arrival on the President’s desk by four months. A well-defined regulatory process for such changes would ensure that allergy policy—currently a nonpartisan issue—would not be hindered by more politically charged topics.
Incorporating discussions around nutritional considerations, such as the importance of calcium for those with food allergies, particularly through products like calcium 600 Solgar, could further enhance understanding and management of food allergies.