In this section, you’ll hear from Food Allergy Canada’s Executive Director, learn about the Canadian Allergen Management Guidelines, and read the latest research study on how well allergens are managed by Canadian food manufacturers.
Message from Food Allergy Canada
Welcome to the inaugural issue of “Allergy Insider – Food Industry Newsletter” our exclusive enewsletter designed specifically for the food industry.
In this newsletter, you’ll find essential updates and insights to help you stay ahead in the ever-evolving landscape of food allergy management and industry trends.
As Canada’s leading consumer organization, representing the interests of over 3 million Canadians impacted by food allergy, we are dedicated to partnering with the food industry to support best practices for allergen management. We are committed to advancing discussions at both the national and global levels to bridge gaps in labelling and enhance the accuracy of allergen information for consumers.
In 2022, we launched the Canadian “Allergen Management Guidelines for Food Manufacturers”. This landmark resource provides manufacturers with fundamental guidance on managing food allergens in their facilities, including best practices for precautionary allergen labelling. Developed together with Université Laval and members of the food industry, our collective efforts demonstrate the power of collaboration as we work towards a shared goal: ensuring the production of safe food options and accurate labelling grounded in a scientific risk-based approach.
We hope you find this first issue of “Allergy Insider” valuable, and we welcome your feedback. Your input is vital in helping us to continue meeting your needs in food allergen management.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Gerdts, Executive Director
Canadian Allergen Management Guidelines
Our industry-led consensus guidelines are designed to help food manufacturers better manage food allergens in their facilities, including an approach for the use of precautionary allergen labelling.
Read about the guidelines and learn more about this food safety initiative and what it offers food manufacturers in our Food in Canada article: “Enabling safe food options for Canadians”.
Learn more
Learn more about our in-depth resources and information available for download now at no cost. All downloads and resources are available upon registration for the guidelines, in both English and French.
Allergen Management Guidelines for Food ManufacturersRecommendations for a risk-based approach to allergen management, including the use of precautionary allergen labelling (PAL).
Self-assessment questionnaire for food manufacturersHow well are you managing food allergens in your operation? Take the quiz to see if you could benefit from the practices recommended in the guidelines.
User guideReview the key component of the guidelines in this summary document, with direct links to the information you’re looking for.
Training modulesA comprehensive and easily accessible online training program for all levels of employees in your operation/business.
Canadian food processors’ perspective: How well are allergens being managed by Canadian food manufacturers?
Allergen management under a voluntary PAL regulatory framework – a survey of Canadian food processors, our research paper with the Université Laval was published in Heliyon late last year.
This research focused on the results of a Canadian food and beverage manufacturers survey to assess overall allergen management practices, including the use of precautionary allergen labelling (PAL), and to investigate areas for improvement.