Sunday, October 29, 2023

Unlocking Allergen Thresholds for Food Safety

Experts from FAO and WHO convened to establish allergen threshold levels, a key aspect of assessing allergen-related risks.

Their mission: Determine safe reference doses (RfD) to minimize allergic reactions without health risks.

RfD Recommendations (mg total protein from allergenic source):

  • Walnut, Cashew, Almond: 1.0
  • Milk, Peanut, Egg, Sesame: 2.0
  • Hazelnut: 3.0
  • Wheat, Fish: 5.0
  • Crustacea: 200

RfD Criteria:

  • <5% probability of symptoms
  • <5% non-severe anaphylaxis
  • <1:100,000 severe anaphylaxis
  • <1 per million risk of fatal reaction

No fatal reactions observed below RfD.

Non-severe anaphylaxis often resolves without treatment.

Controversy: Soya's removal as a global priority allergen due to low prevalence and potency.

Protecting the allergic population, one threshold at a time. #FoodAllergies #AllergenThresholds #FAO #WHO