Contaminated food recalls quadruple
Gluten in ‘‘gluten-free’’ buckwheat flour, cow milk in ‘‘dairyfree’’ sauces and peanuts in pavlova are the tip of the iceberg.
Traces of undeclared allergens lurking in food led to a quadrupling in food recalls over the past five years with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) leading 144 investigations during that time.
Wine was one of the most complained about products, with reports of milk, egg, royal jelly and sulphites lurking in it.
Investigations in 2018 have triggered 28 food recalls. Back in
2013, there were six.
Some of these recalls affected multiple businesses, such as in
2017 when gluten-contaminated buckwheat flour prompted 27 businesses to pull the product from their shelves after relatively high levels of gluten were found in it.
Anxiety around traces of allergens is one of the worst symptoms of food allergies, Allergy NZ said. It’s also – for the most part – unnecessary, according to a children’s allergy specialist.
Isaac Lane, 6, from Hamilton, is allergic to egg, dairy, tree nuts, kiwifruit and sesame.
Confounding package labels and ‘‘may contain traces’’ warnings leave families confused about what is and isn’t safe, his mum, Jocelyn Lane, who is involved with Allergy NZ, said.
And recalls – while necessary – foster a bigger distrust towards food.
‘‘You’re always on the edge of your seat when eating food that’s prepared by somebody else,’’ Jocelyn said. ‘‘[People] will avoid new foods, they avoid going out, they avoid packaged foods.’’
The increase in recalls could reflect an increase in the reporting of contaminated foods, MPI food compliance manager Melinda Sando said.
Sometimes companies or industry bodies alert MPI to a labelling mistake or allergen in their food.
Other times consumers call to say they’ve had an allergic reaction to a food they thought was safe.
In December, chocolates were recalled after a customer with a peanut allergy – who had bought them from The Warehouse – suffered a mild reaction.
‘‘It is potentially life threatening,’’ Sando said. ‘‘So the information actually has to be accurate.’’
But the increase in recalls isn’t something to worry about, Sando said.
‘‘It shows that the system is actually working well. People doing recalls show they’re taking their responsibilities seriously. They’re protecting their customers.’’
Labels on food packaging are often part of the problem, Jocelyn said. Especially when allergens go by unfamiliar names.
She recently almost bought a product containing ‘‘bovine colostrum’’, which is actually just cow milk.
The ‘‘may contain traces’’ warnings create more confusion and anxiety over what people can and can’t eat.
‘‘I have had stories of mums who have to avoid the food that says ‘may contain traces’ and they come out of the supermarket in tears because they haven’t been able to find food for their children.’’
Anxiety is one of the worst symptoms of a food allergy for many, paediatric allergy specialist Dr Thorsten Stanley said.
Trace amounts – such as those often found in recalls – are unlikely to cause a serious reaction.
‘‘Certainly, I’ve never had a child react to a food that said may contain traces of [an allergen]. I have to deal – all the time – with undoing this enormous anxiety that families carry with them.’’
‘‘You’re always on the edge of your seat when eating food that’s prepared by somebody else.’’ Jocelyn Lane