While grocery shopping today, we noticed a larger number of peanut-free products on the shelves. As we passed the familiar brands we started seeing new packages – some were newer labelling, others were new products – smiling back at us. There are many times Krystyne and I have each been on our phones while standing in the aisle; her on hold for a customer service agent, and me surfing to the company’s website (I love my iPhone).
However, this is becoming more and more rare, as more products are coming into line with the proposed legislation on food labelling. On food products manufactured in Canada (bakeries seem to be exempt), companies must declare – in both official languages – any trace amounts of food allergens down to 10ppm. It’s up to them where they place that warning – whether in bold inside the ingredient list, or after the ingredients, or elsewhere on the package – and to the exact wording, but normally we just have to flip a package over and look for the May Contain list. If it says something like “May Contain wheat, milk”, then we can be assured that there are no trace amounts of peanuts in the product.
But it gets even better! More and more packages are coming out with the familiar “NO” symbol covering a peanut, placed on the front of their boxes and bags. Check out some of these displays ….
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Thanks to Chapman’s Ice Cream, we can also pick up some of our childhood favourites like fudgicles and revellos (yes, I know they’re brand names, but that’s what we called them). Look at Chapman’s Super Frosty vanilla ice cream treats … see the “nut-free” sign? :)
And Dare has dedicated facilities for nut-free products, not just nut-free lines in a shared facility. Their products proudly state “Baked in a nut free / peanut free facility”
To my friends in the US, If you’re looking for a cheap (your dollar is still worth more than ours) and peanut-friendly getaway for your family, then by all means come to Canada. At least grocery shopping on vacation will be a bit less stressful. :)
what about fish, egg or honey alergies?
ReplyDeleteNobody seems to care about people like me and the millions of others like me who have less advertised alergies.
There are studies that prove almost 75 people die every hour due to egg alergies. Many of these being children under 10. Where in contrast, only 3 people in the last 2 decades ever died from peanut alergies.
You kind of have to wonder which food company is driving this attack against the peanut, what cheaper product are they getting us to buy instead?
Thank you for your comment, Dave. While there are other food allergies that are no less serious, allergies to peanuts are what affects our family the most and hence the reasoning for focusing on that allergen.
ReplyDeleteHaving sat in an emergency room watching our youngest son lie comatose on the bed while doctors and nurses rush back and forth frantically, we`ve become painfully aware of the seriousness of all food allergies.
Please be assured that our contributions to this blog are not meant as feeding an "attack against the peanut", but as a testimony of what we deal with daily as a family due to our son`s allergy.